154 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



those who will say this cannot be done, and the statement may be true 

 as far as they themselves are concerned ; and it is fortunate they realise 

 their own inability ; but emphatically there are those who can do it.* 



Thus far I have dealt with economic culture. In gardening, however, 

 it is, fortunately, not always a question of economics, but sometimes purely 

 of the artistic and useful. £. s. d. has not to be continuously to the front, 

 spoiling the beauty and delights of gardening. Can we think of a more 

 natural and delightful occupation than artistic gardening untrammelled by 

 money matters? Health and beauty abounding, surely of all places a 

 pleasant life may be spent in a garden, especially if one can work 

 intelligently, knowing the why and wherefore. This happy lot falls to 

 not a few highly favoured individuals, high and low, and fain would one 

 dwell upon the happy scenes ; but duty impels us to the economic side as 

 by far the most pressing. Artistic gardening is, on the whole, well 

 taught at the various institutions ; and it is, of course, more fascinating 

 than the economic. 



Students proposing to enter an agricultural or horticultural institution 

 would do well first to study elementary chemistry, physics, biology, 

 mathematics, and drawing if they have not already some workable know- 

 ledge of these subjects, as much valuable time would thereby be gained. 



Instruction in gardening, which is being given at various centres, chiefly 

 villages, under the various County Councils, is doing good work, and is 

 very highly spoken of, although there is room for great improvement. 

 The work generally is much too superficial, perhaps necessarily so ; but 

 genuine enthusiasts should be willing and anxious to go a considerable 

 distance, say to the nearest town, for advanced instruction ; and if detach- 

 ments from several surrounding villages could attend at a common centre, 

 much longer and more useful courses could be arranged. This instruction 

 would necessarily be during the winter evenings, and should be followed by 

 spring and summer visits by the instructors to the villages, and, if possible, 

 to each of the more earnest students' own garden. The peripatetic 

 lecturer should try to induce the young to go to large centres. 



There are serious w^eaknesses in the present systems. For instance, 

 one hears of county exhibitions for prizes at which only those villages 

 where a course of lectures has recently been given, and only those persons 

 who have actually attended, are eligible to compete. A person who was 

 known as an enthusiastic gardener before County Councils were in 

 existence attends these courses, not, he states, really to learn — because he 

 prefers his own methods to those advocated by the instructor — but in order 

 that he may be eligible to compete. One wonders whether the authorities 

 are afraid that those who have not attended the lectures should eclipse 

 those who had. Education needs no such props. Let these competitions 

 be open to all persons of the same status within the county or district and 

 let both instructor and pupils see to it that in fair open competition they 

 are not beaten. 



In regard to school gardens so much has been said in their favour that 

 it requires some courage to criticise. That they are an immense power 



* Of course methods and '^practices which are'suitable in one district are by no 

 means necessarily so in another. The director should, however, show he can cultivate 

 successfully in that district. 



