HORTICULTURAL EDUCATION IN GREATER BRITAIN. 99 



I believe, be quite suitable for the future resident in any of our temperate 

 colonies, provided that some commonsense is exercised by the teaching 

 body or teacher, and that the prospective colonist possesses the virtue of 

 adaptability ; for an open mind quick to observe and ready to adopt new 

 ideas never goes hand-in-hand with rule-of-thumb methods. A clear 

 understanding of the points of similarity and difference between the natural 

 conditions of the old and new surroundings is what is desirable on the 

 part of every settler from the old country ; and I believe that in this 

 country, besides efficient manual training, the future settler could get such 

 direction and equipment as would fit him to readily realise local con- 

 ditions wherever he settled, and to adapt himself to these conditions. 

 Experience of local conditions is, of course, a matter that cannot be trans- 

 planted or transmitted, while imitation of work accomplished elsewhere at 

 once indicates faulty training and reasoning. Too often, I fear, our 

 courses of training in horticultural science are dominated by what I might 

 term the superior person's point of view. Such courses are usually 

 formulated by professional scientists, and practically say to the beginner, 

 " You should study this or that because it will be good for you in your 

 calling." I believe this is beginning at the wrong end. I would rather go 

 to the practical man and ask him what is the nature of his difficulties and 

 perplexities, and what are the points he would welcome, the assistance 

 that science might be able to give, and then the scientific course should 

 be so limited and arranged as to afford him the help he desires. I there- 

 fore think that the colonial point of view — namely, to give a man not so 

 much what probably might be good for him from the educational stand- 

 point as what from experience he knows he lacks, and therefore desires — 

 is a commendable one. The second question I would put before you is, 

 Can we give any adequate training in England to those who will engage 

 in horticultural work in the tropics '? This is, I admit, not such an easy 

 question to discuss as the first ; yet it resolves itself into the simple ques- 

 tion, Can the experience of working with tropical plants in a hothouse at 

 home be of any service in preparing a man to undertake tha successful 

 and profitable cultivation of tropical commercial crops ? Although some 

 authorities consider such experience to be of value, I cannot uphold it, 

 and I do not think such will be the general opinion. 



All will agree, I think, that it would do no harm if the young learnt 

 the rudiments of the craft of gardening, and obtained some practical 

 knowledge of horticultural methods during that period of their life which 

 is, or should be, devoted to the instinctive process of learning what are 

 their own powers and their relationship to the animate and inanimate 

 world. To know how to graft, for instance, is an acquirement which will 

 be serviceable to a man not only in this country but also should he go 

 abroad into tropical or temperate lands. Horticultural teaching, if it 

 is to take this wide outlook, must depend more on the application of 

 principles, and less on the exercise of mere physical energy. Too many of 

 our practical courses of instruction, I fear, are little more than a series of 

 physical exercises. Educationally, after the right way to handle a tool or 

 do an operation is satisfactorily learnt, mere drill or exercise in such work 

 is simply wasting of precious time, for it is outside the scope of any 

 scheme of technical instruction to turn out ready-made journeymen. 



i 2 



