174i Disabilities of young Gardeners. 



and be less able to discharge the various duties incumbent on 

 him ; secondly, to every lover of gardening, in as far as the 

 very cause and essence of his delight and admiration will be 

 increased or diminished in proportion as the gardener is 

 learned or ignorant ; and thirdly, to you, the editor of their 

 magazine, just inasmuch as its talent and worth depend upon 

 the spontaneous efforts of the enlightened and intelligent part 

 of that body. In proportion, then, as its existence is based 

 upon their taste and scientific desires, just in as far as we 

 recede from science, the taste for your magazine will decrease, 

 till at last, if this declension continues, the very love of learn- 

 ing with gardeners, and your work, will become extinct. 



The contemplation of the conduct of horticultural societies, 

 which have for their avowed object the improvement of gar- 

 deners and gardening, to the younger members of the profes- 

 sion, has often excited in my mind a degree of surprise 

 approaching to wonder. If their practice be a just criterion, 

 the whole aim seems to be, to encourage, by every means in 

 their power, the head gardener, who is, or at least should be, 

 a proficient in his calling, to make greater strides in the 

 acquisition of professional skill, and to excite in his mind a 

 thirst for the prosecution of original investigation ; while at 

 the same time they entirely neglect the most important part 

 of the body, the young; who are left to steer, in the prose- 

 cution of a knowledge of their business, in any manner they 

 think most suitable to their circumstances or inclination. No 

 prizes are awarded to them for essays, well drawn plans, or 

 original designs; prizes which, however trifling may be their 

 real value, would act as a sure stimulus to exertion, and 

 might be the means of fetching out and bringing into action 

 the latent abilities of not a few. Much could be justly said 

 in reference to the ill-organised state and-inefficiency of these 

 societies, for the purposes for which they were instituted; but 

 this is aside from the object of my present letter. 



Your correspondent, above alluded to, has shown that we 

 labour under disadvantages totally unknown to many other 

 occupations, and he has touched cursorily upon the greater 

 part of our difficulties; but, as he appears well qualified to 

 wield the quill, and able to describe what he feels both in 

 body and mind, I would suggest that you invite him to enter 

 a little more into the detail of our grievances : and this I 

 would urge the more upon you, because I am aware that the 

 first step towards making wrong right, is to be sensible that it 

 is so ; and for another reason : — I know that many of the evils 

 complained of by journeymen are of easy remedy; and in 

 many cases are not the fault of the employer, but emanate 



