HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 141 
of work at all times, however great the inconvenience to himself, such evils 
as this would not occur. 
But, however extensive and well-conducted any single garden may be, it 
is quite necessary, if men expect to keep up with the times, that they should 
see other places besides that at which they work. A man who has his eyes 
open can never go to a fresh place without seeing some new thing. And it 
is the aggregation of new ideas picked up here and there, on this side and 
on that, which constitutes progress. A master gardener, therefore, who is 
solicitous for the improvement of his young men will allow them time, occa- 
sionally, to visit the gardens and nurseries within their reach, without de- 
ducting from their wages. It may be said, this is a regular thing. It 
ought to be ; but some of us know very well it is far from it. Such a state 
of things is wrong, and as surely inimical to the interests of the master as 
those of the man. Of course if any disposition is shown to abuse the privi- 
lege, it must be suspended ; but very few are the cases in which this is 
likely to occur. 
Another point which claims the attention of the gardener who is really 
concerned for the improvement of his young men, is the direction of their 
studies. Although gardening is not to be learnt from books, and most assu- 
redly never has been so learned, it cannot be learned without them ; at least 
in the present day. But young students are often exceedingly mistaken in 
their purchases of books. I have seen young gardeners spend perhaps a 
week's earnings in procuring a book which, when obtained, was not worth 
reading. Yet, when possessed, it will be read, and thus there is a waste of 
time as well as money. If, however, before purchasing or reading a new 
book, the young man could consult his master — we say could, for, in most 
cases, if he could he would — this double waste might be prevented. There 
is no way in which greater assistance can be rendered to young men in a 
garden than by supplying them with suitable books. Works of a thoroughly 
scientific character are necessarily expensive, and the journeyman gardener's 
wages are not such as to admit of his buying them. Hence the great de- 
sirableness of forming a garden library. The late Mr. Loudon was so im- 
pressed with the importance of such an institution, that he at one time 
offered to present books, to a considerable amount, to those establishments 
that would exert themselves to form and sustain one. A library of this 
description would consist, of course, of books of reference on botanical and 
horticultural subjects ; the extent proportioned to the means at command — 
the most indispensable works being procured first. A most important fea- 
ture would be the periodicals treating of botany and horticulture, which 
