WISLEY SCHOOL OF HORTICULTURE. 



803 



WISLEY SCHOOL OF HORTICULTURE. 



The following is a copy of the Report of H.M. Inspector on the Wisley 

 School of Horticulture for the year 1 907-8 :— 



Board of Education, Whitehall, London, S.W. : 



September 10, 1908. 



Wisley School of Horticulture. 



Rev. Sir, — I am directed to transmit the following Report of H.M. 

 Inspector for the year 1907-8 on the above-named school : — 



" Provision is made for the training annually at this school of about 

 thirty young men as scientific gardeners, and a diploma of the Royal 

 Horticultural Society is awarded to the successful students at the end of 

 the period of training. 



" The course of instruction is designed to cover two years, but as yet 

 only the first year course is in full operation. The course is extremely 

 well planned and is carried out by an efficient staff of instructors. 



" The Gardens of the Royal Horticultural Society are extensive and 

 contain a very large variety of plants, both in the open and under 

 glass. There is also a very well fitted laboratory, with good equipment 

 for instruction in the sciences bearing on practical horticulture. The 

 laboratory is under the charge of a well qualified and skilled instructor 

 and the students receive a very thorough training in the scientific side of 

 their craft. This instruction has, at present, to be made very fundamental 

 and in some respects very elementary, as few of those admitted to the course 

 of instruction have received a satisfactory training previously in the 

 rudiments of science. When the second year course is in full operation 

 it will be possible to do some fairly advanced work. 



" Originality and thought on the part of the students is encouraged by 

 weekly discussions in the evening, when selected students read papers, 

 which are criticized by the other students, and additional experience is 

 gained by the students in acting on small committees in connection 

 with the arrangements for the Society's shows in London. 



" On the practical side students appear to have an unique opportunity 

 of acquiring a knowledge of the cultivation of all the plants that they are 

 likely to meet with in the course of their employment, and those who 

 qualify for the diploma should have no difficulty in securing remunerative 

 posts. 



" The Royal Horticultural Society is to be congratulated on the step it 

 has taken to encourage the educational side of the craft." 



I am, Rev. Sir, 



Your obedient servant, 



F. G. Ogilvie. 



Rev. W. Wilks, M.A. 



