February 1, 1883. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
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Royal Society at 4.S0 P.M. Linnean Society at 8 P.:,r. 
Quinquagesima. 
Society of Arts at 8 P.M. 
than 
calculated 
envy and 
here remark that nothing is more 
THOUGHTS ON GARDENING AND 
GARDENERS. 
r y *?T is often remarked that much good comes 
from people seeing themselves as others 
see them. I would in the following 
lines endeavour as a follower of the 
art of gardening to see myself and 
fellow men who are connected with it 
in a light that I hope will show some of 
our shortcomings, while at the same time 
displaying some good qualities. 
I may 
to degrade the gardening profession 
malice displayed to horticultural 
brethren who may prove more fortunate or more skil¬ 
ful in their work. Let there be no such feeling 
existing, and gardening is at once relieved from a blot 
that unfortunately it has not always been free from. 
In the pursuit of gardening no trace of jealousy or evil 
speaking should he found, and then a more perfect 
union of the brethren could he attained, a more perfect 
sympathy with each other he aroused, and gardening 
he made more pleasant to all concerned. From time 
immemorial the gardener has plied his trade, and in 
these days of ours has reached such an eminence that 
a large amount of literary skill and publishing enter¬ 
prise is devoted to chronicling his sayings and doings, 
and in keeping him up to the times in what is going- 
on in the horticultural world around him. 
I would like to call the attention of all young men 
who may he just entering on their course as gar¬ 
deners to the great difficulties that lie before them in 
their career, at least if they wish to become com¬ 
petent in their profession. Gardening requires a man 
to he thoroughly in earnest. He must devote every 
moment he has to the study and practice of his calling ; 
he must be a close and attentive observer of Nature 
and her wants ; he must be able to grapple with many 
difficulties, and by assiduous endeavours seek to com¬ 
prehend the varied details in connection with the 
multitudinous subjects that come under his notice and 
require his attention. 
I would like to impress upon all young men who are 
thinking of following or 
are following gardening that 
they must resist the temptations of the bothy system, 
where they are exposed in many cases to inducements 
to become frequenters of public houses, card players, 
or to staying out late at night, engaging in foolish 
sports, and a course of conduct that can never make a 
man master of a pursuit that needs undivided atten¬ 
tion. Far be it from me to say that such conduct is 
common among young gardeners; still I know that 
sometimes such is the case, and I would therefore warn 
all who care to read what I say, that such conduct 
is incompatible with the earnestness in gardening. 
The spare time of young gardeners cannot be more 
profitably spent than in improving themselves by 
observation and study—observation of all that is going 
on around them, so that they can be deducing lessons 
that will benefit them in the future from the opera¬ 
tions of the present; study of every book and paper 
obtainable connected with their profession, also study of 
any and every branch of education that can benefit 
them in any way in after life. 
It is a great mistake for young men to rest content 
with what little learning they may have attained at 
school. What they have learnt there should but be con¬ 
sidered a stepping-stone to something better, and no 
effort should be spared to improve what has simply 
been begun in youth. No man needs such a diversi¬ 
fied education as a gardener if he seeks to attain to 
eminence in his business. Does he not need Latin 
to enable him to master the names of the plants he is 
called upon to grow ? Does he not require a knowledge 
of landscape gardening, of the arrangement of colour, of 
geometry, of arithmetic, of composition ? Should he not 
be a good penman and able to keep accounts ? Should 
he not have some knowledge of chemistry to enable 
him to provide suitable composts and maintain certain 
conditions of soil, air, and water suitable to his many 
subjects ? Should he not know something of mechanics 
and natural philosophy, of the theory of ventilation, of 
the science of botany, of natural history, and other 
subjects numerous and varied, and which, when all put 
together, form a list quite formidable enough to frighten 
any young man, but which are, nevertheless, of untold 
benefit to any who desire a good position in the 
gardening world ? 
Are there not some men who take to gardening and 
fail entirely to perceive that many of such branches of 
knowledge as I have mentioned are requisite for their 
success in life ? And above all a gardener should be— 
as I am glad to say in many cases he is—a gentleman, 
I mean a gentleman in the truest and best sense of the 
word. When such a man is met with, one who has 
devoted his time to an intelligent study of everything 
connected with his profession, who is able clearly and 
pleasantly to discourse on subjects bearing on his 
calling, mark him well ! He has not attained such a 
position without a hard struggle, many an hour spent 
in study and observation, and much self-denial and 
discipline. Let such a man be the model for all young 
gardeners to copy, and gardening will become more 
and more appreciated as a calling which requires men 
of no mean ability, no mean education, and no mean 
power of self-control and self-discipline to master the 
difficulties attending its successful pursuit. 
I say, then, to all young gardeners, Be up and 
doing. Do not let the pleasures of thoughtless youth be 
yours. Do not rest content to be mere cyphers in the 
gardening world. Strive assiduously to rise to distinc¬ 
tion, and if you fail to reach the highest position 
in the realm of gardening, let it not be through any 
want of endeavour on your part: if you cannot com¬ 
mand success, at least deserve it. No one will be the 
worse of trying to master everything connected with 
his jirofession. The time will be well spent, and if at 
the end of life’s journey the highest position in the 
gardening world has not been theirs, no regrets for 
No. 136 .—Vol. VI. Third Series. 
No. 1792 .—Vol. LXIX., Old Series. 
