necessary to young Gardeners. \ g 9 



places the wages of gentlemen's gardeners have been con- 

 siderably reduced ; but, from what little has come under my 

 observation, I am not in the least surprised at it. When a 

 gentleman, whose premises are extensive, engages a gardener, 

 he expects to find a man whose knowledge is commensurate 

 with the station he is to fill ; and when he finds, from ex- 

 perience, that his attainments scarcely exceed those of a 

 common labourer, the question will very naturally arise, 

 why should I give the one so much more remuneration than 

 the other ? When Jt see instances of men filling first-rate 

 situations who are any thing but first-rate in their attainments, 

 I feel more surprised that such should keep their places, 

 than that the wages, in some instances, should have been 

 reduced. Did the evil confine itself to the careless individuals 

 themselves, it would not be so much; but it fills the mind 

 with regret, to think, that, for the carelessness and ignorance 

 of one, the comforts of another will be diminished, however 

 learned and skilful he may be. The mischief does not end 

 here : not only the intelligent head gardener suffers, but the 

 poor journeyman must come in also for his share. There is 

 scarcely an evil which he has to complain of (such as some 

 of your correspondents have ably described, whether with 

 respect to the distant, haughty, overbearing manner of the 

 master ; the insolence he must put up with ; the insults, 

 sneers, and direct despotism which he must bear without a 

 word of discontent escaping from his lips, or the certainty of 

 losing his place in consequence), but, in a great many in- 

 stances, may be easily traced to the ignorance and presump- 

 tion of the master. I would fain believe that there are few 

 instances of well-informed men who use their young assistants 

 in so disgraceful a manner. Knowledge, real knowledge, 

 begets condescension, affability, and kindness. Ignorance, 

 joined with prosperity, very often generates pride, vanity, 

 and arrogance. It would be an easy matter to show proofs 

 of the truth of these statements ; but that is not the intention 

 of this letter. To be placed under a vain ignorant master 

 is a very disagreeable situation for a persevering young man; 

 as he will often see men of decided abilities passed over, 

 whilst individuals of very moderate attainments will be pro- 

 moted. 



I have no space to say any thing about the painful dis- 

 appointment which a young man experiences, when, after 

 devoting his time to the acquisition of knowledge, he perceives 

 that, on account of the want of influence, he is likely to pass 

 through life's dark vale unnoticed and unknown. To make 

 knowledge more prevalent amongst gardeners, some method 



