136 Degression of Nurserymen and Gardeners. 



rise superior to common labourers. It is useless to expect the 

 generality of gentlemen, in the present timesj to engage gar- 

 deners to devote all their attention and time within the walls 

 of their gardens ; and as useless for the latter class of men to 

 imagine that they will better their profession by persisting in 

 refusing situations, which have annexed to them something 

 more than the mere work of growing fruit and vegetables. It 

 is beyond a question that gentlemen now meditate a retrench- 

 ment among their servants ; and that, instead of keeping up 

 individuals to preside over every separate department, various 

 offices are now frequently merged in one person, who receives 

 a competent salary. Now, since this is the case, it would be 

 wisdom in gardeners to be doing all in their power to make 

 themselves what they are required to be. They should em- 

 ploy all their time and talents in making themselves acquainted 

 with country affairs generally, so as to be able to transact 

 business with accuracy, to give a report on the state or value 

 of plantations, &c. ; and, in short, to write, talk, and act 

 sensibly. 



For the furtherance of this end, extensive reading, not only 

 upon gardening, but upon all those subjects which are even 

 indirectly connected with the profession, is highly commend- 

 able. I by no means wish to depreciate gardeners, yet I must 

 say, that, considered as a body, they are, in knowledge, a step 

 or two behind some of the working classes around them. 

 They must, therefore, in their leisure hours, betake themselves 

 to some important study, which measure can alone qualify 

 them for rising to eminence in their profession. It may be 

 observed, in general, that all those gardeners who hold the 

 highest places, possess a degree of knowledge above those 

 who have inferior situations ; and that, according to the ratio 

 of information each possesses, his order in society is fixed. If 

 young gardeners would consider this important fact, instead of 

 indulging in useless pastimes, much good would be the result. 

 However, they have not as yet become so singularly luke- 

 warm to the real interests of their calling, as to forbid us to 

 expect much study and application from them, as soon as 

 a proper method of instruction is pointed out. I have thought, 

 that, in those districts where their number would permit, it 

 would be an advisable plan to form themselves into societies, 

 for the purpose of writing upon and discussing such topics as 

 might be thought likely to interest them afterwards. If such 

 a thing were instituted, its beneficial results could not fail to 

 be manifold. It would improve its members in what is ac- 

 counted the trifling, but with gardeners the material, art of 

 penmanship, and it would also materially improve their die* 



