392 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ November 3, 1892. 
could see their way to provide a suitable and general library as 
part of their garden establishment, as some do. If space allowed 
much might be advanced in favour of this proposition. Many 
“ Gardeners’ Improvement Societies ” possess a good selection 
of works of reference which are of great service in tiding the 
gardener over such times until he possesses money or opportunity 
to purchase them. The advantage of absolute ownership are 
incalculable, and it behoves every young gardener to make 
strenuous efforts to secure a small library of his own, so selected 
that points of culture, questions of nomenclature, classification, 
habitat, and general educational work could be referred to, and 
points cleared up at any or all times by having the necessary 
authorities at hand. The self-denial exercised in procuring them, 
and the pleasant associations and reminiscences connected with 
consulting them as everyday assistants to knowledge, bring the 
student in the course of time to look upon them as his best friends 
and most cherished possessions. 
In the following selection many valuable educational works, 
on account of their cost, are not specially included. Of course, to 
the specialist they are a matter of primary importance, and it 
would be his bounden duty to make every effort to secure them. 
As examples we may mention the “ Orchid Monographs,” by Veitch ; 
the best works on landscape gardening by authorities like Loudon, 
Kemp, Major, and Milner, and the advanced books on botany 
by Sachs, Strasburger, Goebel, Yines, &c. Individual taste, inclina¬ 
tion, necessity, and money at command will guide the student in 
these matters. The selection given fairly covers the practice and 
theory of gardening, and is based on such lines of economy as is 
consistent with the wide range of subjects necessary for the 
gardener to have some knowledge of, if he desires to be stamped 
with the “hall mark” of proficiency in his calling. The 
gardeners’ rate of wages and education, as a matter of necessity, 
must partake of a progressive character, so his books must be pro¬ 
cured as opportunities permit, of course in their proper sequence. 
Some of the valuable high-priced works can be had in a serial form, 
but when purchased in a complete form the buyer should insist upon 
the usual discount off cash payment. The second-hand bookseller’s 
catalogue will often repay perusal, but in this age of rapid advance¬ 
ment care should be taken that all books purchased of a scientific 
and standard character are up to date, by obtaining the latest 
revised editions, or those last published by the best authorities on 
the subject they treat upon. 
List of Books. 
Class Books. —“Physiography,” J.Thornton,M.A.; “ Chemistry,” 
Roscoe ; “ Botany,” Henfrey’s, 4th edition, revised by Masters and 
Bennett. 
Practical Works. —“Gardeners’ Assistant,” R. Thompson, ed. 
1881 ; “Dictionary of Gardening,” Nicholson (Kew) ; “Yines and 
Vine Culture,” Barron (Chiswick) ; “ Fruit Culture under Glass,” 
D. Thompson, 2nd ed. ; “Fruit Manual,” Hogg; “The Fruit 
Growers' Guide ” (now being issued), Wright ; “ Hardy Flowers 
and Alpine Plants,” Sutherland ; “ Rose Garden,” Paul ; “ Orchid 
Manual,” 6th ed., Williams ; “ Elements of Agricultural Chemistry,” 
Johnson, 14th ed. ; “A Treatise on Manures,” Griffiths ; “Agricul¬ 
ture in Some Relations to Chemistry,” Storer ; “ Stove and Green¬ 
house Plants,” Baines ; “ Diseases of Garden and Field Crops,” 
W. G. Smith ; “ Diseases of Plants,” Marshall Ward ; “ Injurious 
Insects,” Ormerod ; “Horticultural Buildings,” Fawkes ; “Hot-water 
Heating,” Fawkes ; “ Colour,” Church. 
Beyond this list there are plenty of books on special subjects 
which under certain circumstances the gardener may find to his 
advantage to purchase — viz., “ Mushroom Culture,” Wright ; 
“Fruit Culture for Cottagers ” (prize essay), Wright ; “ Tomato,” 
Iggulden; “ Chrysanthemums and their Culture,” Molyneux ; 
“ ConiferEe,” Yeitch : “ Forestry,” Brown ; “ Narcissus,” Burbidge 
and Baker. 
The three standard works on gardening by Thompson, Ander¬ 
son, and McIntosh are each in their way valuable works, though 
somewhat different in scope, but as it is improbable the young 
gardener will be able to buy them all I have placed Thompson’s on 
the list, being lately revised and covering most ground, a3 suiting 
the under gardener’s purse and requirements. Anderson treats 
more fully than the latter on stove and greenhouse plants, Orchids, 
landscape gardening, and ornamental trees. Under certain circum¬ 
stances it might be worth consideration to secure it later, if 
opportunity offered. 
General Advantages. 
The course of study and education here laid down, looked at 
from the standpoint of the present-day gardener, will probably 
appear to be an unnecessarily formidable one, but, as we have 
already shown, the educational facilities now at command put an 
entirely new face on the educational side of the question. What 
formerly passed for botanical knowledge, and was either condemned 
or ignored by writers on the gardeners’ education question, is 
widely different from the present-day physiological botany, and 
what it involves. Formerly it was the height of ambition of the 
so-called botanist to collect and dry a collection of plants, and 
learn by rote the catalogue of uninteresting names. To-day it is 
the study of cause and effect in Nature’s workshop, and the 
gardener who possesses this kind of knowledge must be all the 
better for drawing it direct from the “ fountain head.” In cases 
of emergency it will lift him superior to rule of thumb, and 
questionable or illogical practice ; in fact, it will enable him to 
formulate new and sound practice, directing him straight to the 
end in view, and teach him to avoid the mistakes begotten of 
ignorance and prejudice. Neither can the advantages accruing be 
summed up or measured by the direct beneficial results upon the 
gardener’s practical work. “ Bacon ” says, “ A man is but what 
be knoweth. Shall we not as well discern the riches of Nature’s 
1 warehouse ’ as the benefit of her shop ? ” 
The gardener of the next generation will be poor indeed if he 
cannot find these riches ; but to do so he must also remember that 
youth and early manhood will need to be wisely spent. Let him 
cheerfully accept and act up to his duties, and he will find the time 
spent to this end will also be his most remunerative investment. 
Youth is thought to be the time for pleasure, and no doubt much 
may be advanced in favour of reasonable recreation ; but pleasure 
is a slippery path to follow, and requires a strong mind to avoid 
carrying it to excess. Before a lad is launched on the career of 
gardening he should be shown the stern realities of the gardener’s 
life as “ a contra ” to the flowery side from which youth and the 
inexperienced are apt to view it. He must understand that he will 
need to be both constitutionally and educationally fitted for the 
calling, and be prepared to fight keenly in what will simply be a 
struggle for existence. The present keen competition amongst 
gardeners will be intensified in the future, particularly so in the 
higher branches of the profession, and better choose some other path 
in life than be stranded or drift into the common hack and drudge 
wherever he may be employed, or become the puppet instead of 
gardener in the true sense to the unsympathetic, and it may be 
penurious employer, whose forte is paying the least possible price 
for services rendered. 
FRUIT AT SAWBRIDGEWORTH. 
Orchard House Fruit. 
Many years have passed since Messrs. Thos. Rivers, J. R. Pearson, 
G. Abbey, “ D,, Deal," W. Keane andi others waged a brisk pen-battle 
about orchard-house fruit in the columns of the Journal of Horticulture. 
The places of the two first-named, who valiantly supported the pot 
culture of fruit trees, have been taken by a younger generation, but 
the work they commenced has been carried on, and the ancestral home 
of the pot tree at Sawbridgeworth shelters it still. When in looking 
over the houses there recently Mr. T, Francis Rivers pointed out to me 
the original tree of Lord Napier Nectarine, now forty years old, but still 
healthy and vigorous, together with a host of younger specimens, I was 
tempted to dip back into the past by turning over the Journal pages 
of 1864 and so realise bow the faith of those days has been justified. 
Those who have visited the Earl’s Court exhibitions will have been 
struck by the splendid examples of Apples, Pears, and Peaches 
exhibited by the Sawbridgeworth firm, and even with most of the 
fruit gathered and preparations for potting in full swing in the nursery 
the trees are a wonderfully impressive[sight. 
Peaches and Nectarines. 
I have referred to the old tree of Lord Napier. Its introduction was 
brought about by one of those fortunate chances that crop up once in a 
generation. Mr. Rivers happened to see the last fruit hanging just 
before it would have been removed, all the rest having gone. He was 
struck by its distinct appearance, and with an acumen that doubtless 
tended materially to his ultimate advantage possessed himself of the 
variety. A day later and the famous Nectarine would probably not be 
with us as it is now, one of the most valuable, if not the most valuable, 
of its class. The old tree presents quite a venerable appearance with its 
great gnarled trunk, but its head is fresh with the brightness of youth. 
It is doubtless a cherished object to its owner, and certainly it is one of 
great interest to his visitors. The trees, whether young or old, are a 
wonderful lesson of good management. The wood is stout and vigorous, 
the foliage ample and richly coloured, and next year’s fruiting growths 
studded with triple buds. Yet the treatment the trees receive is almost 
startling to those who are altogether unprepared for the course of 
procedure pursued. When repotting time comes, and it is now at band, 
no gentle shaking suffices to free them from the pots, for top-dressings 
have been heaped up above the rim and are permeated with such a mas3 
of feeders that these have to be torn away before the plants csn be freed. 
They are literally raked out, for a formidable toothed implement is 
vigorously employed removing soil and fibrelets before plant and pot 
can be induced to part company. It might be thought that a dangerous 
check would be imparted by the wholesale sacrifice of roots, but the 
