De««mber 25, 1891 ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
665 
▼egetables have been abundant and excellent. Roots for storing, always 
important and of great value about Christmas and throughout the winter, 
were well matured in the autumn, and they are ns fresh and good new as 
we ever saw them at this time. Carrots probably suffered most from the 
heat and drought, and in dry light soils many failed, but those sown in 
August made good progress, and as these are now young and tender they 
are the best of all Christmas Carrots for many purposes. Onions are 
capitally matured, and are as sound as when taken in. 
Rhubarb, Seakale, and Asparagus were much benefited by the genial 
summer, and they are forcing most readily. The produce, too, is both 
abundant and good, and all who have tried to have any or all of these 
valuable additions to our Christmas supplies should have no difficulty in 
producing them. When Apples are scarce Rhubarb is greatly valued for 
tarts, and Seakale and Asparagus are generally preferred to any open- 
air vegetable at this time. We often think that produce of this kind, 
when grown from thoroughly ripened roots, is much superior in flavour to 
any grown from the same class of roots after a dull wet season. 
Spinach has continued to develope its leaves to a large extent, and they 
are more succulent and better flavoured than when shrivelled by frost. 
Brussels Sprouts are a standard Christmas vegetable for those who have 
no means of forcing, and they are most acceptable at this time. We have 
none of the very large ones now. Those improved varieties which 
reduce sprouts about the size of Coleworts may find favour with some, 
nt they do not with us. They do not possess the flavour of the little 
knobs produced by the old-fashioned type, neither are they so hardy. 
Broccoli of the Veitch’s Self-protecting type have had nothing to disturb 
them this autumn, and they are turning in quickly and good. With so 
many choicer vegetables to select from. Savoys and Leeks are hardly looked 
at, but we may require them by-and-by, when less favourable weather may 
be experienced. 
Mushrooms are another delicacy to be added to the list. The summer 
and autumn were uncommonly favourable for their abundant growth in 
the open air, and the recent genial weather has favoured them in 
protected places. Celery is one of those good things which we cannot 
allow to go unnoticed or uncultivated. We think it is best and more 
crisp when it has been frosted to the extent of 12° or 15° ; but we are 
using it without this now, and as it is sound and clean it is very satis¬ 
factory. All have a common desire to enjoy the best of the good things 
of this life on Christmas-day, and I am sure the enjoyment will be greatly 
increased if the supplies from the garden are good and abundant. Where 
appliances are at hand, and this is accomplished, those most concerned 
might find it advantageous to make a resolution at once, and adhere 
to it henceforth, that other Christmases will not find us unprepared.— 
A Kitchen Gaedener. 
A WORD TO YOUNJ HEAD GARDENERS. 
About twelve months ago you kindly published a few words 
of advice to young gai’deners, upon which some little difference 
of opinion was expressed amongst those for whom it was in' 
tended. May I ask a similar favour on the present occasion, for 
young head gardeners are always numerous t' 
The smallness of the wages paid to under gardeners com¬ 
pared with that earned by mechanics bas often been brought 
under notice. But there is one view of this question that should 
not be lost sight of, and that is, while very few mechanics ever 
become masters, and only a limited number ever become fore¬ 
men, vei'y few gardeners of fair average ability fail to become 
head gardeners. There is a wide range in the gardening profession, 
from the “ kid glove” gentlemen gardeners, with their dozens of 
men under them, down to the “ single-handed” man, who is some¬ 
times expected to be “ double-handed”—or both groom and 
gardener. 
Generally speaking, most men find their proper level, or, in 
other words, drop into their appointed niche in the scale ere they 
reach the meridian of life. I say generally speaking, for it 
is not always the best men who hold the best positions, for 
instances are not wanting where vex-y able men are found occu¬ 
pying very humble places, while others are found in larger places 
with greater scope, superior appliances, and other advantages, 
whose abilities do not compare favourably with his more humble 
neighbour. Some men secure good places by the influence of 
persons and circumstances more than by any real merits of the 
man; and if he is a prudent man, with a fair knowledge of his 
business and its management, he will generally succeed in keep¬ 
ing his position. On the other hand, how many men of real 
sterling worth are found struggling in obscure out-of-the-way 
places, simply because they have been tutored, and have laboured 
in less inluential quarters, or are less pretentious. I think it 
was once recorded in these pages of a celebrated grower of big 
bunches of Grapes, that when your correspondent called upon 
him he was found digging up Cabbage stumps. In the eyes of 
some men such a humble finding would have been prejudicial to 
their estimation of other abilities. But not so with the Journal 
correspondent, nor with its worthy Editor, who seems to estimate 
men more for their sound practical knowledge than from any 
high position they may occupy. 
In the first place, I would offer a word of advice to those who 
are about to become head gardeners. Let them not be in too 
great a hurry to take their first head place. Many fail in their 
first situation from want of experience, and such a failure is a 
very serious affair indeed, as many can testify. Another im¬ 
portant matter is for each one to consider and look after places 
well within the scope of their abilities. A man who has been for 
a few years foreman in large places, should seek a similar charge 
for himself, and he should patiently wait for it. I think it is a 
mistake for a man who has had first-class experience to take a 
small place with which he is never likely to be satisfied, but 
accept it simply for ” a start.” The very fact of a man having 
charge of a small place is often a great hindrance to his suc¬ 
ceeding to a larger one. 
Men who have had less extended experience should never be 
afraid to confess it. It must be very disappointing for a gentle¬ 
man to be led to believe, when engaging a gardener, that he has 
had experience in this or that, in which he may have a special 
interest in, to find out afterwards that his man is groping in the 
dark. There are some employers to be met with who seem to 
think a gardener should know everything, and there are, unfor¬ 
tunately, gardeners too proud to admit their ignorance.^ Let 
young men be moderate in the estimation of their own abilities, 
and it will be found that most employers are reasonable, and, if 
he finds his man better than he has been represented to be, the 
best results will follow. 
I see a certain firm of bankers have decided that none of 
their clerks whose salary is under £150 per annum shall marry. 
I am afi'aid too many gardeners rush into matrimony before they 
have the necessary means of maintaining a wife and family in 
comfort; and this, no doubt, partly from necessity. Employers 
of gardeners are not so particular about this matter, except it is 
that their gardeners are married—for but few single men are 
sought after as head gardeners. Nine out of every ten men who 
are advertised for have to be married men. This matrimonial 
difficulty may be said to be the first to confront our young head 
gardener. If he is not married, or is prepared to marry, he is at 
once disqualified in the eyes of a great number of employers. 
If he is married, and has a family, his services are rejected by 
another class. No man ought to marry till he can comfortably 
furnish a cottage and have something left to keep him clear of 
contracting debts, for if a man cannot keep clear of this at the 
start he has a poor look-out for the future. Pay ready money, 
and contrive to keep your wants within your means. This will 
generally give a man a more independent feeling, and will be 
able to stand out for better terms than those who are always on 
their last shilling- 
When once settled in a place, it would be well if men 
would make up their minds to stay in it and make the best 
of it. It is a good th'ng for a young man, while he is 
single, to move about, but, when engage! as a head gar¬ 
dener it is quite the opposite. “ Rolling stones gather no moss” 
is an old saying and a true one. The gardener who is frequently 
changing places is not likely to become rich. The man who 
makes up his mind to wait for the first chance of another situa¬ 
tion is not likely to earn the esteem of his present employer, for 
it is pretty certain that work will not be done in that thorough 
manner which a deeper interest in it would insure And, if men 
would consider, they could not possibly fail to see the blind¬ 
ness of such a course of action. If they do not perform what they 
know to be their duty to their masters, how can they expect com¬ 
mendation when they leave their service ? A gardener should 
never forget that what is for the master’s interest is also his own 
interest, whether he intends staying or leaving. In the former 
case he should spare no pains to satisfy his employers in all 
things, and gain increased respect and confidence. In the latter 
he must do the same in order that he may carry with him a good 
character, and leave the place he has had chai ge of in thorough 
order, as a memento of faithful service. 
I would advise all young men settling in their first head place 
to divest themselves of that unfortunate idea, entertained by so 
many, that a gardener’s happiness and prosperity can be esti¬ 
mated by the number of men he has under him. It is an 
erroneous idea. A man having charge of a large establishment 
has his difficulties in managing his men; in getting them in 
various departments to do things just as he would like, in the 
innumerable things he has to think of, and run here and there 
after, in addition to all the petty annoyances to which men in 
humbler positions are subject to. 
Most men on taking their first charge feel a little embar¬ 
rassed. Suddenly thrown upon their own resources, they are 
brought face to face with many little matters not thought of 
before, while others do not seem so familiar as when acting under 
their late chief. This, however, will soon wear off, and reading 
