EXAMINATION IN HORTICULTURE. 



261 



EXAMINATION IN HOPJICULTURE. 



1. The Council of The Royal Horticultural Society, sympathising 

 with the efforts of various County Councils, Technical Institutes, Schools, 

 Gardeners' Mutual Improvement Societies, and other bodies to promote 

 instruction in Practical Horticulture by means of Lectures, Demonstra- 

 tions, &c., and in the hope of rendering such teaching more definite and 

 effective, have consented to hold an Examination in Horticulture in the 

 month of April in each year.* 



2. The following is an Outline Syllabus, showing the nature of the 

 subjects to which it is considered desirable that the attention of Students 

 should be drawn. 



ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES 

 On which Horticultural Practice is based. 



(1) Soils, good and bad : their Mineral Composition ; Chemical Nature of Fertilisers 



and their respective values. 

 ^2) The Physiological values of Water, Heat, and Air in Plant-growth. 

 (3) The Structure of Seeds and their Modes of Germination ; the Chemical' 



Phenomena of Germination ; the Movements of Seedlings and the Uses of them. 

 •(4) The Functions of Koots ; their Anatomical Structure ; Hindrances to Healthy 



Eoot-action and their remedies. 

 (5) The Uses of Stems and Branches ; the Anatomical Structure of ordinary 



Dicotyledonous and of a Monocotyledonous Stem. 

 ^6) The Physiological Functions of Leaves, and the Action of Light upon them. 



(7) The Structure of Tubers and other Subterranean Stems ; the Structure of Bulbs 



and Buds ; the General Phenomena of Vegetative Multiplication. 



(8) The Physiological Processes undergone in Growth and Development ; the 



Structure of an Active Cell, and the process of Cell-division and the formation 

 of Tissvies. 



(9) The Structure of Flower-buds and of Flowers ; the Methods of Pollination, 



Natural and Artificial. 

 '(10) The Process of Impregnation of the Ovule, and the Formation of Embryo and 

 Endosperm. 



11) The Classification and Description of Fruits ; the Changes and Development 

 during Kipening. 



|(12) The General Characters of the Commoner Families of Plants in Cultivation. 

 (13) The Origin of Species. 



(2 



(3 

 .(4 



HORTICULTURAL OPERATIONS AND PRACTICE. 



Surveying and Landscape Gardening : Elements of. 

 Choice of Site for Garden. 



Description and use of Implements under each head. 



Operations connected with the Cultivation of the Land, with explanations and 

 illustrations of good and bad methods : Digging and Trenching ; Draining ; 

 Hoeing, Stirring the Soil, and Weeding ; Watering ; Preparation of Seed 

 Beds ; Boiling and Raking, Sowing, Transplanting and Thinning ; Potting. 

 Planting ; Aspects, Positions and Shelter ; Staking ; Earthing and Blanching, 

 &c. 



* The exact date can be ascertained by sending a directed post-card for reply to 

 the Office in January, February, or March. 



