and of Rural Improvement generally^ during 1836. 625 



a tour of upwards of two months through the different counties 

 of England at his master's expense (see p. 550.); and Mr. 

 Rosenthal, the son of a Vienna nurseryman, now resident in 

 this country for his instruction, has visited a number of gardens 

 and nurseries, not only in England, but in Scotland and Ireland. 

 A New York nurseryman has had his son for some years in 

 Paris with M. Vilmorin ; and the son of a London seedsman 

 is now working; in a garden in the neighbourhood of Paris. 

 Mr. Booth of Hamburgh makes a commercial joui'ney through 

 Great Britain and Ireland every year. 



The Condition of Gardeners may, we think, be considered as 

 improving rather than otherwise ; partly from the great general 

 prosperity of the country, and partly from the increasing know- 

 ledge in gardening of the employers of gardeners : since nothing 

 can be more certain than this, that the more a proprietor knows 

 of gardening, the more anxious will he be to employ a first-rate 

 gardener ; and this, too, whether his garden be large or small. 

 However paradoxical it may appear, it is, nevertheless, strictly 

 true, that to manage a place of great extent does not require one 

 whit more gardening skill than to manage a very small place, 

 even one of a single rood ; supposing the object to be to bring 

 the gardening of both places to the highest degree of perfection. 

 But to manage the large place other qualities in the gardener 

 are required, in addition to those of a knowledge of his art; 

 such as forethought ; unity of design in contriving work ; and 

 system and vigilance in the management of men, and in other- 

 wise carrying work into execution. These are qualities totally 

 distinct from a knowledge of gardening, and may, and often do, 

 exist in an individual vi^ho is below mediocrity in his profession; 

 while, on the other hand, a man may be a first-rate cultivator, 

 and yet below mediocrity in comprehensive views, and in a system 

 of management. When the beauties and enjoyments of garden- 

 ing come to be duly appreciated by the employers of gardeners, 

 those who have small places, of a quarter of an acre or less, 

 will be just as anxious to have first-rate gardeners to manage 

 these places, as those who have a walled-in garden, and pleasure- 

 grounds of 100 acres. For example, to make the most of our 

 garden here at Bayswater, which, exclusively of a few square 

 yards for culinary crops, is only 50 ft. by 160 ft., would re- 

 quire a man with just as much scientific and practical know- 

 ledge of gardening as Mr. Paxton, head gardener to the Duke 

 of Devonshire, who has, perhaps, 2000 acres under his care; or 

 as Mr. Marnock, curator of the Botanic Garden at Sheffield, 

 who has the management of one of the most extensive botanical 

 and horticultural establishments in the country : though, in 

 these two last situations, higher qualities of mind would require 

 to be added, than could ever be brought into use in taking care 



