to their Journeymen. 19' 



masters to the young men under them, I am sorry, at the same 

 time, to have cause to complain of and deplore the selfish 

 feelings which seem to actuate others. 



Some gardens which are celebrated for their extent, supe- 

 riority of management, or for the ability or character of the 

 superintendent, are those into which young men are anxious 

 to gain admittance ; but before they can obtain this advantage, 

 they must submit to bribe the master by a douceur of a sum 

 beyond their ability to pay, or to be able to furnish must suf- 

 fer the most rigid self-denial and inconvenience. When such 

 bonus is presented by the pupil or his friends, for favours and 

 instructions received, it comes gracefully from the one party, 

 and may be gracefully and fairly accepted by the other ; be- 

 cause it is an offering of gratitude from the first, and is a tri- 

 bute clearly due to the latter ; but when we see certain men, 

 whom fortunate circumstances have placed in such situations, 

 sternly exacting this oppressive tax, as the absolute passport 

 to their favour, I cannot help thinking that it is as degrading 

 to themselves as it is oppressive to their journeymen. 



In some cases, indeed, such a claim is perfectly fair: a la- 

 bourer from the fields or pleasure-ground, and who has served 

 no apprenticeship, is ambitious of becoming a gardener, and 

 afterwards offering himself to the world as a pupil of the cele- 

 brated Mr. A , from the gardens of the Duke of , or 



the Earl of ; in this case, the rustic should certainly pay 



the master who teaches him a business : but the young man, 

 who has served a regular apprenticeship, paid his fee, &c., 

 while in pursuit of a further knowledge of his business, 

 should not, I think, become the prey of rapacity, or have the 

 doors of science shut against him, merely because he has not 

 five guineas to fee the porter. 



Master-gardeners should really consider this. If eminent 

 in their business, they surely can demand adequate compens- 

 ation from their employers, without leaning oppressively on 

 their young assistants, and depriving them of the means of 

 purchasing books, &c., so necessary for acquiring the princi- 

 ples, while they are learning the practice, of the art. 



I am. Sir, yours, &c. R. S. E- 



Edinhurgh, May 19. 1828. 



c 2 



