92 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



who is at all worthy of the name to increase his efforts to please, 

 and which naturally tend to success ; but it does not in the least 

 free him from his incumbent duty to serve his employer to the 

 best and utmost of his ability, and to be ever ready to meet his 

 employer's wishes when clearly expressed, if he is not at all times 

 able to foresee and forestall them. 



A frequent source of misunderstandings between gardeners 

 and their employers is the intervention of a third party, whose 

 pettifogging interference and unwise advice too often increase 

 rather than allay irritation, arising often from very trivial causes. 

 In all well-ordered establishments, where the head of each 

 department has his duties strictly denned, and is held respon- 

 sible for their due performance, in accordance with the desires of 

 the owner and the regulations of the place, difficulties of this 

 nature rarely appear. When they do occur, their cause may be 

 generally traced to some careless, ill-informed, or badly advised 

 source against the evil influences of which all wise persons 

 adopt the necessary precautions, and thus prevent as far as 

 possible these unpleasant disturbances. 



Another source of discontent, but one which I have good 

 reason to believe is not so prevalent among sensible men and 

 good gardeners as the noise it makes would lead people to 

 imagine, is the direct interference of the employer in the 

 management of his garden, and in the selection of stock and 

 materials for carrying it on. It has sometimes been said that 

 plants purchased by the employer never thrive so well as those 

 purchased by the gardener ! This remark cuts both ways, but in 

 neither is it complimentary, and both employers and gardeners 

 who know their duties and conscientiously perform them 

 utterly repudiate the unworthy suggestion. The owner and 

 employer, who has the cost to pay, has a perfect right to inter- 

 fere in any way he pleases in all such matters. The right may 

 not always be discreetly exercised with wisdom, and in that 

 event it is the duty of the gardener to point out the error in a 

 respectful manner, which may or may not be effective in 

 correcting the mistake ; but it is nevertheless his duty to do it, 

 and afterwards to carry out his employer's instructions in a 

 reasonable and proper way. When an employer takes a per- 

 sonal interest in the affairs of the garden, and acts with sound 

 judgment and in a fair spirit, a good gardener is always ready 



