64 HORTICULTURE. 



tory garden, since they could find places at once. We reply to this, 

 that if they found, after they had had their year's practice in this 

 garden, and could show its certificate of character and abilities, they 

 could readily get $50 or $100 a year more — as we are confident 

 they could — ^there would be no difficulty on this head. 



The Belgian government has just established such a school, and 

 placed it under the direction of M. Van Houtte, the well-known 

 horticulturist of Ghent. Something of the sort has been contem- 

 plated here, in connection with the agricultural college proposed by 

 this State. Considering the scarcity, nay, absolute dearth of good 

 gardeners among us at the present moment, — the supply not half 

 equal to the demand, — it seems to us that some plan might be 

 adopted by which we should not be at the mercy of those who only 

 call themselves gardeners, but who also know little beyond the mys- 

 teries of cultivating that excellent plant, the Solanum tuberosum, 

 commonly known as the potato. 



