43 
good as far as they go; would do no harm, and if the teachers were 
moderately competent, would almost certainly do some good. 
I should add, cis at our Kew . system, as a school, is to this extent 
useful work open to the county council in obtaining facilities y 
passing young gardeners ionik Chiswick on much the same lines 
obtain at Kew 
(Signed) W. T. THISELTON-DYER, 
Director. 
Montacu SHARPE, Esq., to ROYAL GARDENS, Kew. 
Guildhall, Westminster, 
DEAR SIR, 17 December 1891. 
I THINK it extremely kind of you to have taken so much pains 
over your Parade haa on the subject of horticulture in connexion with 
technical educat 
I shall lay m en before my colleagues, so that they may have 
the benefit of your advi 
All we can do at pisemi is to draw up a report as to the best methods 
to be employed for giving instruction in some ten subjects which appear 
be most suitable to the needs of the inhabitants of Middlesex 
generally. 
The new council will have to determine to what extent it will proceed 
in the matter, but I feel sure it will give material assistance to science 
and art schools, which are already giving secondary education, and 
which includes, 1 think, some of the subjects you mention, such as 
elementary physics and chemist try. 
The whole question is a most difficult one, and the council is much 
d "x you for the valuable information you have been kind enough 
io give 
I am, &c. 
The Director, (Signed) MowrAGU SHARPE. 
Royal Gardens, Kew. 
HORTICULTURAL EDUCATION. 
[Extract from the Gardeners’ Chronicle, November 28, 1891.] 
While the subject of technical education in horticulture is occupying 
so much attention, we are pleased to be able to lay before our readers - 
the views entertained on the subject bi so highly competent an authority 
as the Director of the Royal Gardens, Kew :— 
- You ask me to communicate to the pages of the Gardeners’ Chroni- 
cle, something on the subject of horticultural education, This is 
undoubtedly a compliment, seeing that it obviously involves the not in- 
considerable assumption that I know something about it, or, at an 
rate, ao something to say on the subject ‘which may be worth 
attenti 
Cx em m by no means unwilling to do pra ie can. But though cf 
own opinions on the matter are tolerably clear, the various aspects 
which the question presents itself at the motidnt are, to tell the tili 
