218 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



that horticulture as a science must gain if the practical gardener has 

 knowledge of the scientific principles that underlie and may guide his 

 practice. But in horticulture the event alone is apt to be the end, 

 and the reasons for a specific practice and the causes which lead up to 

 certain of its brilliant results do not always receive the attention that 

 ought to be, and might be, given to thdm. What I mean is that 

 empiricism leads to waste of energy through want of the application 

 of scientific principles as an interpretation. 



Granted — empiricism can advance horticulture, has advanced it, 

 and wull always advance it. The pity of it is its selfishness. In its 

 glorified form it is the knack of the one, and with him it dies. Empiri-. 

 cism can never be systematic. Co-ordination is the first requirement of 

 science. 



Anyone who reads through the early volumes of the Gardeners* 

 Chronicle — and there is no more fascinating reading to one who is 

 interested in the ways of plants— cannot but be struck by the enormous 

 amount of suggestive fact that is there recorded by practical gardeners 

 which has failed to impress the progress of horticulture, has left 

 botany untouched, and has been forgotten because of its isolation and 

 want of correlation with some definite scientific principle. 



The loss which botany as a science sustains through want of 

 systematic method begotten of some scientific training in those who 

 are in practical contact daily with the cultivation of plants is immense. 

 If the loss to horticulture is not marked because not immediate, it 

 is in the end no less great. It ought to be our aim to endeavour to 

 lessen that loss if we cannot altogether prevent it. 



The scientific education of the gardener is one avenue through 

 which the object may be achieved, and regarding the necessity ofi 

 advance along it, I do not suppose there will be any questioning. 



But in these days of bountiful provision of grants to aid develop- 

 ments in rural economy an opportunity seems to be offered of securing 

 means for directing empiricism in gardening, and it should not be 

 neglected. I heard with pleasure recently the editor of the Gardeners! 

 Chronicle give emphatic expression to the hope that in the assigna- 

 tion of the funds that have now become available for the promotion 

 of investigation of practical problems bearing upon plant-life 

 the claims of the competent practical gardener would not be over! 

 looked. I desire to associate myself entirely with that, and I do s<j 

 to-day with purpose. For the tendency in connexion with our moderJ 

 stimulation to progressive achievement through endowment is fa^ 

 too much to work down from the theoretical. We want to worE 

 up from the practical. Induction is a more fertile mother thai 

 deduction. 



I see that in the course of the important proceedings of nex 

 week (the Royal International Horticultural Exhibition) the question o 

 the gardener's education is to be discussed. May I hope that th 

 channel along which the discussion then flows will be not only the on 

 , now universally recognized leading towards the proyision of schemes fc 



