46 Bicton Gardens^ their Culture and Management, 



time past, I have thought them degenerating into something 

 like horse-racing. 



It has been my opinion for some years, that, to reward the 

 skill and industry of a gardener properly, the whole of the 

 plants and gardens under his charge ought to be taken into 

 considei-ation, by a committee of practical gardeners like him- 

 self. These ought to examine the fruits and vegetables which 

 he raises, to see whether they are of good kinds, well grown, 

 healthy, and without insects or diseases ; to observe the order 

 and beauty of his flower-gardens, pleasure-grounds, walks, and, 

 in short, every thing imder his care, from the stoke-holes of the 

 furnaces, and root-cellar, fruit-room, onion-loft, and tool-house, 

 to the botanic stoves and conservatories. Then let him only be 

 rewarded who excelled in the greatest number of things, taking 

 his place altogether; and had not only the best productions, 

 but exhibited the best order and highest keeping. If some- 

 thing of this kind were set on foot, I am persuaded it would 

 be a greater stimulus to improvement in gardening than the 

 present mode of giving premiums for fine specimens, which are 

 generally either produced by gardeners to the neglect of almost 

 every thing else under their charge, or purchased by their em- 

 ployers in the spirit of gambling. At the same time, I would 

 not altogether give up awarding prizes for single productions ; 

 but I would do this under such regulations as would insure 

 their being grown by the exhibitors. 



Bicton Gardens, Dec. 1842. 



Art. it. Bicton Gardens, their Culture and Management. In a 

 Series of Letters to the Conductor. By James Barnes, Gardener 

 to the Right Honourable Lady Rolle. 



{Continued from p. 34. ) 



Letter VIII. The Flower-Gardens. List of Plants. 



The first thing you noticed in the flower-gardens here was a 

 peculiar sort of broom I have had made for sweeping up the 

 grass walks, &c., the most useful and expeditious I have ever 

 met with. I have fight handles from 4 ft. to 1 ft. in length made 

 to fit, which we adapt to the nature of the sweeping. If it is in 

 hot summer weather, the grass short and dry, we use a handle 

 of 10 ft. My largest size measures from side to side 4 ft., and 

 the length of the centre is 3 ft. 6 in. Being thin and light, they 

 easily sweep up all loose rubbish, and always keep themselves 

 clean and dry. A man will soon brush over a large space ; and 

 at this season of the year, when there are a few loose leaves blown 

 about, you have no idea how soon several acres can be swept 



