166 Difficulties of young Gardeners 



portance of disseminating knowledge as one of the means by 

 which this great end is to be gained. In proportion as ad- 

 vantages for mental cultivation are enjoyed and made use of 

 by the different classes of society, we may expect to see an 

 honourable noble-minded population. It was long the boast 

 of gardeners to be looked up to as a class of men rather su- 

 perior in their mental attainments. For, independently of many 

 of the operations of our^art being the most delightful in which 

 man can be engaged, the beholding of the beauties of nature 

 instinctively leads to an investigation of the properties of the 

 objects with which we are daily conversant ; and thus a prin- 

 ciple of enquiry being produced, and the pursuit of knowledge 

 appearing in a form more alluring to the gardener than it 

 generally did to the mechanic, the supposed superiority of the 

 former was the consequence. I say was, for I am not pre- 

 pared to show that noiio it is the case. The long-slumbering 

 spirit of research being at length aroused, a wonderful alter- 

 ation has been produced in the intellectual capacities of our 

 countrymen. But while other classes of operatives have 

 their libraries and reading rooms, their debating clubs, and 

 mutual instruction societies, their prize essays, and institutions 

 for the dissemination of science ; all operating as so many 

 breezes for wafting them with full-extended sails along the 

 tide of improvement ; not only are young gardeners in general 

 deprived of these advantages, but often additional obstacles 

 are put in their way, so that many of those who have been able 

 to keep pace with the age, may be said to have done so, mqre 

 in spite of opposing circumstances, than from the fostering 

 care they experienced. As the exposing of an evil is gene- 

 rally the first step towards its extermination, I shall, in addi- 

 tion to low wages, and want of proper encouragement, advert 

 to several of the disadvantages to which we are frequently ex- 

 posed, in our pursuit of general and professional knowledge. 



The first impediment to many a young man begins to act 

 as soon as he commences the profession. If he serves his 

 time in a small establishment, he is likely to acquire a pretty 

 good practical knowledge of his profession, as his master will 

 converse freely with him, and give him all the information in 

 his power. But, as the minds of youth are very susceptible 

 of being struck with admiration of external splendour, he 

 becomes anxious to receive his first instructions in some cele- 

 brated establishment, and willingly agrees to pay a high ap- 

 prentice fee, in the expectation that he will be more initiated 

 in the principles of the art, and finally be better qualified for, 

 and more likely to receive, a respectable situation. Often is 

 this hope disappointed. The master, instead of encouraging 



