young Gardeners in Denmarh. 77 



and some parts of Denmark, and such gardeners are called 

 Kunst Gartnere (artist-gardeners). 



Gardeners who have not acquired such an indenture are 

 not able, when travelling, to get work either in Germany or 

 Denmark. In England, France, and Holland, such indentures 

 are of no use to a travelling gardener ; and yet many German 

 and Danish gardeners have visited the latter countries with 

 much success, particularly England and Holland. Before the 

 Revolution, Holland was the school where young gardeners 

 might become active and skilful men ; though it is not meant 

 to be said that there was then no other country where gar- 

 deners might acquire a. good knowledge of their art. 



But my object at present is to prove how useless such an 

 indenture is, and how little it can contribute to improvement 

 in gardening, unless it were given by a society, who might im- 

 partially prevent the abuse of such instruments. An appren- 

 tice, after having served his time as before-mentioned, gets an 

 indenture, no matter whether he has learned a little or very 

 much, so as his conduct has been tolerably good. The inden- 

 tures are all alike, the only difference is the time and place 

 where the person has learned, and this is not sufficient to 

 prove the ability and character of a gardener, which is always 

 required by those who wish to employ one. Indentures of 

 that kind, however, have been out of use in Denmark for these 

 twelve years past. 



My honourable friend, M. Holboll, royal botanic gardener 

 at Charlottenberg, M. Hornemann, the professor of botany, 

 the late royal gardener at Fredericksberg (whose place is now 

 filled by M. Wolf), and myself, met together one day, and 

 agreed to carry a plan into execution, viz. an examination for 

 gardeners. The time of examination was appointed to be 

 twice a year, April and October. The suggestion was ap- 

 proved of, and the applicants were given a rescript to appoint 

 the members of the commission, and how to act on the exa- 

 mination. The committee must appoint the day of examin- 

 ation, and make it publicly known in the newspapers, in order 

 that the young gardeners who may think themselves competent 

 to submit to a public trial, may send their application to the 

 committee, along with a certificate of their ability and conduct 

 from the head-gardener where they have learned. The can- 

 didates are examined in all the different branches of gardening, 

 the judgment of which is divided among the three royal gar- 

 deners: — M. Lindegaard, in the construction of forcing-houses, 

 hotbeds, &c., their management, and that of all sorts of fruits 

 and vegetables suitable for forcing ; M. Holbiill, in^the laying 

 put of pleasure-grounds, flower-gardens, and th€ cultivation of 



