October 27, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
371 
Dearei looked magnificent, although it has been in flower for nearly 
three months. Among other Dendrobiums in bloom I noticed 
formosura giganteum, Statterianum, and Schoederi. Yanda 
Kimballiana is a most charming Orchid, as also is Aerides 
suavissimum, the specimen now in bloom being magnificent. In 
another house were good examples of Oncidiums ornithorhynchum, 
very sweet scented ; tigriuum, flexuosum, and varicosum ; Maxil- 
laria grandiflora ; Sobralias macrantha andxantholeuca ; Cymbidium 
giganteum, Epidendrum dichotomum, and a few Cattleyas in 
variety.—H. W. 
Ljelia Perrini. 
The unfolding of the flowers of this fine old autumn-flowering 
Laelia is evidence of its value at this season of the year. True, 
there is not such a dearth of autumn-blooming Orchids now as 
formerly, but its freedom of growth and also flowering propensities 
rank Laelia Perrini upon a decorative point of view as one of the 
finest Orchids in cultivation. The white flowering variety is 
unique, and happy must be the possessors of it ; but as the majority 
of us should be thankful or content with the normal form, we can 
look upon the other as a beautiful vision. I have three plants, and 
each season they advance in size and also the number of flowers, as 
this year the aggregate number of blooms for the three plants is 
twenty. Its natural habitat is said to be on the northern slopes of 
the Organ Mountains, which suggests comparatively cool treatment. 
Our plants thrive well in the Cattleya house, and are growing in 
teak baskets, the material about the roots being good fibrous peat 
with a little sphagnum. Whilst in full growth it takes a good 
supply of water, and even after flowering throughout the winter it 
must not be kept too dry or else its thin pseudo-bulbs will shrink, 
and which is not advisable.—A. Young. 
EDUCATION IN GARDENING. 
(Silver Medal Essay, continued from page 3477) 
Methods to Pursue. 
In addition to the widespread educational facilities previously 
mentioned, the South Kensington Science and Art Department 
provides, either before a lad leaves school or after for the necessary, 
unbroken continuity of a steadily advancing education from the 
elementary stages in scientific and other subjects, onward to and 
including the advanced stages, which may be taken advantage of 
by all local educational agencies. In some outlying districts this 
source may fail, and the student must then fall back on his own 
resources. Perhaps he may be able to join with others in forming 
a class for their mutual improvement supplemented by the help of 
the village schoolmaster, &c. Under these circumstances he would 
do well to take advantage of a change of situation, when circum¬ 
stances were favourable, for one within reach of the necessary 
educational facilities. 
It is evident that much will depend upon the educational oppor¬ 
tunities and the rate of progress made during the early stages of 
the gardener’s career, as to the course of study and reading to 
adopt. If so circumstanced as to be under the necessity of taking 
some or all of the elementary sciences after he has entered on his 
novitiate in a garden, it becomes a matter to decide whether he is 
able to take up more than one subject at a time ; capacity to receive 
instruction, and time at command, will determine this point. It 
would be better, however, to do one thoroughly than attempt two 
and fail. Always keeping in view that the gardener’s education 
must necessarily be a progressive one, extending to a later period 
in life than that of many others, no hard and fast line can be 
drawn regulating the time for study. In summer it is wise never 
to relax efforts entirely, but winter is the season for the supreme 
effort. If the student gave from two to three hours per night 
during four nights per week, the following would not prove a bad 
arrangement : Scientific subjects, Garden literature, Garden peri¬ 
odicals, general literature—one night each. This would leave 
sufficient spare time for recreation, or any sensible hobby which 
the inclination of the individual suggests. 
The results of the young gardener’s practical training will in 
some measure depend upon the extent and management of the 
establishment where he is employed, and the opportunities placed 
in his way. On the other hand more will depend upon the cultiva¬ 
tion of his innate abilities, perseverance, and adaptability to cir¬ 
cumstances, to his readiness in grasping the lessons which his 
scientific knowledge teaches, and assimilating it with the best 
results coming under his observation. At all times he must bear in 
mind that his wages are paid for efficient services rendered as a 
practical workman. His first duty to his employer and himself, 
therefore, is to acquire proficiency in the use of all garden tools, 
and to learn to perform all the needful operations in a workman¬ 
like and expeditious manner. To this end a thorough liking for 
his work is necessary, combined with close observations of methods, 
finish, and quantity of work done by experienced workmen. Con¬ 
currently with the dexterous use of his tools he should develop the 
faculty of intelligently grasping all the details of his work. A 
good workman before he begins an operation can see it mirrored in 
his mind’s eye as it should be when finished. This faculty 
prompts him to carry out the details in their proper sequence, so 
that no part need be twice done. Every simple garden operation 
requires this forethought until it becomes habitual, and no gardener 
worth the name will rest content until he has attained equality 
with the best workmen. 
Having in due course dealt with the elementary “ specific 
subjects,” a systematic advanced study of them must still be con¬ 
tinued, combining with them the purely practical into one homo¬ 
geneous whole. The student before reaching this point will 
understand and appreciate that the gardener’s education is a dual 
combination of skilled workmanship, and the important lessons 
which his ever advancing studies teach him as bearing and being 
dovetailed into his everyday work. The workman who possesses 
this knowledge and combines with it a study of methods, and the 
results accruing from them is accumulating sound practical know¬ 
ledge of the highest order, at the same time transforming what 
otherwise would be objectless taskwork into interesting occupation. 
A diary should be kept of all important garden operations, seed¬ 
sowing, potting, planting, dates of starting, forcing houses, &c., 
their day and night temperature, dates of fruit and other crops 
ripening, with notes and observations on data gathered. The daily 
readings of the barometer and thermometer, uhe accumulated 
temperature worked out; if possible the sunshine record taken on 
the lines carried out at the Regent’s Park Botanic Gardens, 
observations of hardy plants and trees leafing and blossoming, first 
flowers opening, and first leaf surface visible, fruit ripening, and 
the beginning of natural defoliation, are all advantageous to the 
young gardener. A regularly kept diary of this description might 
be made into a reliable standard of the climatic conditions affecting 
the vegetation of the locality where kept. One section of observa¬ 
tion could be used to check the other, and thus discrepancies would 
be reduced to a minimum, serving as a valuable guide as to the 
hardiness and earliness of plants and crops, the most suitable time 
to sow and plant them, and other data bearing on productiveness 
and suitability to position. To lessen individual work of this 
description different branches might be allocated, and an individual 
and collective summary made where several gardeners are kept. 
Visiting horticultural exhibitions, good garden establishments, 
botanic gardens, public parks and nurseries, is of so great utility 
that every opportunity should be taken to do so. Useful lessons 
in degree of culture, methods, economy of labour, plant and tree 
nomenclature, arrangement of colours, and general effect in flower 
gardening may be thus acquired, besides opening out extended 
fields of observation on cultivation and general management. The 
interchange of opinions on both successes and failures are also 
important factors in ripening the judgment and promoting sound 
useful knowledge. 
Colleges or schools of horticulture may be considered to be in 
the experimental stage. Amongst others which space forbids 
reference to, there is one point which must militate against their 
permanent success as purely educational agencies for general 
gardeners. The cost of a two or three years’ course would 
generally prove to be a bar, amounting in time and money to a 
larger sum than the prospects of a paying return would justify. 
The well paid appointments are too few, even where the cost could 
be afforded, to risk a livelihood upon. On the other hand, the 
general gardener by self education and supplementary aids thereto, 
is adopting means to improve his position, which of itself is a 
powerful incentive to success, whilst it remains to be pioved that 
those who possess wealth to be able to take advantage of this means 
of high-class teaching would be the class of men who could hold 
their own position, or compete all round with those who under 
educational drawbacks have made British horticulture what it is 
to-day. . 
Gardeners’ improvement societies have become recognised 
educational agencies. When properly managed, they furnish their 
members with opportunities for discussing details of culture and 
getting directly to the root of any cultural question they are 
seeking information upon. Writers of “ essays,” although supposed 
in this respect to be the teachers, receive the greatest educational 
benefit of anyone concerned. The discussions impart confidence 
and discrimination in speaking, thereby improving the address in 
ordinary conversation. The library facilities give opportunities of 
consulting books which are beyond the power of purchase by 
individual members. The general usefulness and value of these 
societies will largely increase as the education tide rolls onward ; a 
greater proportion of the members will be able to take part in the 
