GARDENERS — PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE. 



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books to pursue a course of study, or from attending lectures and 

 classes on subjects in which he is interested, and this will have 

 an influence on his future position in life. Sixth, a deficient 

 elementary education is one of the greatest hindrances to the 

 success of any young gardener, and it must be a source of 

 gratification to all interested to see the improved system of 

 elementary education compared to that of even twenty years ago 

 as given in country schools. Not only is there an improved 

 method of teaching, but the scholars must be regular and 

 punctual in their attendance, in addition to a longer school 

 period. 



The future prospects of those who are indifferent and half- 

 hearted in their work are handicapped by having a limited ex- 

 perience. They may go as a boy to help a single-handed 

 gardener, and instead of moving at the end of two years they 

 remain till manhood is reached, and then they are thrown into 

 competition with those who have had a varied experience in 

 many horticultural establishments of note throughout the country, 

 to find, to their disgust, they must either remain as journeymen, 

 or at the best be contented with a single-handed place where 

 the gardener is expected to make himself generally useful. 



The company a youth keeps will have a great influence on 

 his success or failure. If he becomes associated with those who 

 frequent music-halls and gin-shops his chances of attaining an 

 honourable position in his profession are few and very uncertain. 

 The leisure time any young gardener may have should be well 

 and judiciously utilised, and not wasted in frivolity and sin. 



Early marriages are not always conducive to the future 

 success, prosperity, and happiness of a gardener, and it would be 

 well for every young man to give the matter his serious con- 

 sideration before entering the matrimonial state. For he will 

 find many of the advertisements for gardeners close with a special 

 request that there be no family, or if a family is allowed it must 

 be a small one. 



Among the many facilities for obtaining horticultural in- 

 struction, I would particularly recommend those interested to 

 take every advantage of horticultural improvement associations, 

 local exhibitions (which from an educational point of view can be 

 greatly improved, and it is for some prominent society to lead the 

 way), county council lectures, which can be attended with little 



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