228 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



EXAMINATIONS IN HORTICULTURE, 1913. 



EXAMINATION OF EMPLOYEES IN PUBLIC PARKS. 



January 6, 1913. 



The Royal Horticultural Society's Eighth Examination of Employees 

 in Public Parks was held on January 6, 1913. 



As previously, the examination was partly viva voce and partly 

 written, occupying three hours and twenty minutes. It was held at 

 the Society's Hall in Vincent Square, Westminster. 



Thirty-four candidates entered, and of these 10 secured places in 

 the first class, 14 in the second, and 6 in the third, leaving 4 who 

 failed to satisfy the minimum requirements of the examiners. 



The examiners report that the answers in the viva voce section were, 

 generally, above the average, but the written answers show no very 

 marked improvement on those of past years. Some of the candidates 

 were weak in a knowledge of the functions of roots and leaves. Ques- 

 tion 3, on the drainage of heavy soils, was well answered, but that on 

 the manuring of lawns and of different types of land, and the action of 

 lime upon soils and plant foods, required a more scientific knowledge 

 and was not well answered. The study of artificial manures is im- 

 portant, and candidates should familiarize themselves with their uses, 

 especially as an adjunct to farmyard manure, and should be acquainted 

 with the quantities of each to be used. 



There was a surprising ignorance concerning the utility of bastard 

 trenching, and of the labour required for a specified area ; and it was 

 not a little disappointing to find only the oldest and commonest trees 

 and shrubs mentioned in the answers to 11 and 12, whereas so many 

 excellent new varieties are now to be found in public parks. Five 

 candidates omitted to answer the obligatory question No. 13, for which 

 omission a certain number of marks was deducted by the examiners. 



The impression left upon the minds of the examiners, after the 

 papers were marked, was that the information given showed but a 

 fragmentary knowledge, uncertain and lacking in conviction, instead 

 of an exhaustive mastership of the subjects of the questions. Public 

 parks gardeners are urged to recognize the value to themselves of a 

 full and complete information, and of the knowledge born of the 

 practical application of such information in their work. This is not 

 to be gained by a month or two's book-reading before the examination, 

 but by continual and persevering application to work and study and 

 observation throughout the twelve months. 



The attention of the first-class candidates is called to the Society's 



