292 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
t October 1,1691. 
the agencies which has contributed so much to the wealth of the country 
—steam power—has also been the cause of our gardens being enriched 
with choice plants from all parts of the world. The speed with which 
plants are dispatched home renders los3 comparatively small to what it 
was formerly. The trade of the horticultural builder has developed into 
a science for building handsome structures to accommodate the choice 
treasures from abroad, and made a grand addition to the pleasures of 
the garden. At no time of the year are they more appreciated than in 
winter. 
Gardens possess so much beauty and interest it is not surprising so 
many men should aspire to make them an occupation for a livelihood, as 
it is not difficult to find an opening for a start in a garden, although more 
difficult to obtain a situation as head when qualified for the post. When 
the garden is seen in its best condition, and all things look so charming, 
the difficulties to be met, enemies to be conquered, and wintry days to 
be passed, are not always considered. One wishing to become a gardener 
should not be afraid of work ; he must take a pleasure in his work, and 
in time he will feel a certain amount of pleasure in being able to master 
his difficulties. The young gardener has advantages now he did not possess 
formerly, but more is expected of him. Before the present system of 
heating became general the gardener had to be up the greater part of the 
night in bad weather. Now houses have to be filled all the year round to 
supply the requirements of the establishments, instead of having fruit 
houses empty half the year as formerly. Fruit and flowers are grown in 
the same houses, and constant vigilance is required to detect the first 
symptoms of disease or insects, and apply remedies before serious mis¬ 
chief is done. It requires great experience to detect at a glance the first 
symptoms of insects and diseases, but the gardener is assisted by the 
horticultural sundriesman with every aid for banishing them when 
detected. 
There is such a variety of work in the garden, and the cultivation of 
so many subjects to be well acquainted with, that a boy wishing to 
adopt gardening as a calling should begin at the age of fourteen. A fair 
education can be gained by a boy of average ability by that age with 
the improved methods of teaching now m use at schools. This should 
be supplemented by attendance at evening classes where possible. In 
most towns classes are held on winter evenings, where much instruction 
can be gained that will be useful to the future gardener, and makes a 
pleasant recreation at the same time. Efforts should be made to get a 
good knowledge of geometry, as this is very useful to gardeners in many 
•ways. In country districts much may be done by young gardeners 
meeting together and helping each other, and often a good teacher can 
be procured to give occasional lessons. Winter evenings are golden 
opportunities for young men to improve themselves and acquire know¬ 
ledge, opportunities which diminish as responsibilities increase. One 
interesting recreation may be found in keeping a book with the English 
•and botanical names of every plant entered, and the natural orders 
they belong to. It is a capital plan of getting them well fixed in the 
memory. A second book might be kept for little sprays of shrubs, &c., 
•dried between blotting-paper. They should be neatly fastened in the 
book with name, and will be useful for reference. 
It should be the aim of everyone wishing to become a gardener to 
make himself conversant with every branch of the business. It used to 
be considered the thing to get under glass, and once established there 
the other part of the garden was looked upon as comparatively unim¬ 
portant, and it was only discovered too late that a mistake had been 
made in neglecting the kitchen garden department. Fashion changes 
in gardens, and it behoves a gardener to be abreast of the times. The 
demand now is for more fruit and vegetables. Hardy fruits must have 
good attention, and it is no slight matter to be able to keep up a con¬ 
tinuous supply of the best vegetables. It requires a good knowledge of 
the best varieties, nature of the soil, as the soil often varies in the 
came garden, and times of sowing, as well as cultural treatment. The 
fine collections of vegetables shown at the leading exhibitions require 
the best skill of the gardener. In the flower garden herbaceous plants 
•are becoming more popular year by year. They not only impart variety 
sn the garden, but are also useful to meet the growing demand for cut 
flowers. 
To acquire a thorough training I consider a youth should have four 
or five years in a good garden, and then to change into other gardens to 
gain further experience. A year or two spent in a good nursery will 
.be a benefit, to gain an insight into methods of doing many things not 
acquired in a private garden. These changes, besides giving practical 
experience, are useful in many other ways to gardeners if they hope to 
"hold long service in private situations, where they not only have to 
study the wishes of their employers, but their equals and those under 
them. 
Other means of acquiring knowledge of their calling are mutual 
improvement societies and horticultural exhibitions, visiting brother 
gardeners occasionally, and when opportunities occur visiting lead¬ 
ing nurseries and noted gardens. Nothing gives a gardener more 
pleasure than going to see a shftw or visiting gardens, and it is a con¬ 
vincing proof, if one were needed, of the love they have for their 
calling. Although there are many other aids I will but mention one 
more—the horticultural Press. The various papers contain sound infor¬ 
mation on every subject connected with the garden, reports of the 
leading societies and exhibitions, notices of new flowers, fruits, and 
"vegetables, and all news of interest to the gardener brought to his 
notice week by week. The gardening papers are a credit to the enterprise 
of their conductors and to their contributors ; one at least, more if 
possible, should be read constantly by everyone connected with the 
garden. 
One pleasant experience in a gardener’s career is where he is allowed 
by his employer to exhibit and becomes successful. Exhibiting rouses 
some men to active exertion, which so far from being injurious is bene¬ 
ficial to health. To some it brings disappointment, but this often arises 
from attempting too much. It is more satisfactory to win in a small 
class than lose in a large one. Employers as a rule are willing for their 
gardeners to exhibit, and justly proud of their success when it does 
not curtail the pleasures of the garden in other ways. Gardeners as a 
rule repay the privilege accorded them with extra exertion to meet 
home wants and wishes. Where the privilege is abused it brings 
dissatisfaction and leads to its discontinuance, but the great in¬ 
crease of shows and exhibitors indicates the general approval. The 
pay of a gardener is a weak point, for while wages have gone 
up in most callings, in this they have either remained stationary 
or somewhat declined. But medium sized gardens have greatly 
increased in numbers, giving scope for a good class of gardening 
and providing comfortable situations at wages equal to the best artisans 
in good trades. The wages of the gardener are regular, and supple¬ 
mented generally by privileges, while artisans are liable to stoppages 
and to be called away from their homes to work at a distance. One 
disadvantage is that a gardener, having so much to learn before he feels 
confident to undertake a situation as head, frequently finds himself 
nearly thirty years of age before he is able to obtain one, with some of 
the best years of his life passed at low wages. Many men get impatient 
at the delay and turn to other employment. It has been the custom in 
large gardens for the gardeners to take apprentices and improvers in 
such numbers that many have been unable to get situations when 
qualified for it. If more skilled labourers were employed and fewer 
apprentices it should reduce the number somewhat, taking only the most 
promising ones with a genuine and eager desire to become gardeners. It 
used to be a passport to a situation if a candidate had been employed in 
a lord’s or duke’s garden. It remains to be seen whether the changes 
taking place in large gardens will not give the persevering man more 
chance. 
To grow good produce in quantity is the aim now rather than to obtain 
a favourite dish by some particular date out of season. This is a branch 
of gardening that all should be familiar with, as in private places goods 
have to be packed for long or short distances, and if not properly packed 
the finest fruit and flowers are liable to injury. The decorative branch 
is another which should have special attention paid to it. Where one 
feels deficient in the decorative part it should be overcome as far as 
possible by noting the best examples of others, so as to avoid defects. 
Colours are important to a good effect, and the best decorators have light 
and graceful combinations, beginners’ productions being as a rule too 
heavy. Horticultural exhibitions give scope for taste in arrangement 
in the groups, table decorations, sprays and buttonholes, basket and 
vases of flowers, and bouquets. 
Many gardeners who were in private situations now have good busi¬ 
nesses as florists or growers for market. They were persevering and 
enterprising, and when the opportunity presented itself seized it. With 
the present demand for flowers and fruit there are still openings for 
persevering and business men with a little capital, but many gardeners 
hold good situations in private places which have in a great measure 
been made by the men themselves. Confidence has to be won, and 
then retained by continued proof of worthiness. Although there is no 
formal union amongst gardeners, there is an unwritten bond of union 
amongst them, for no men are more sociable or more ready to help one 
another. There are also several important charitable institutions now 
that are well supported. 
In conclusion, my opinion is that gardening offers as good an open¬ 
ing now for a persevering man as at any previous period. It is a 
healthy occupation, full of interest, capable of finding its own pleasures 
and amusements without going outside for excitements, and if one is 
only able to live respectably, and do justice to those dear to him with¬ 
out making a fortune, he has lived and done good useful service, filled an 
honourable position, and has no cause to regret the choice of gardening 
as a calling. 
[Considerable interesting discussion followed, in which Messrs. 
Shoesmith, Roffey, Bishop, Ritchings, Carr, and Cummins took part, 
and many important points were raised.] 
THE SUNNINGHILL VINERY, BY DERBY. 
A VISIT to this vinery is a treat one would little expect from the 
quiet manner Mr. Innes has been carrying on his successful work during 
the last few years. Two lean-to houses have been erected against store¬ 
rooms, stables, and engine-house, and an or’ginal method of raising and 
heating water for the Vine borders forms a great feature in his success. 
The two houses in question, each 70 feet long by 1G feet wide, are heated 
with six rows of 4 inch pipes, and were planted with Muscats on the 
10th August in Jubilee year, from eyes raised the same spring. They are 
5 feet apart with two rods each. The borders were made very solid, and 
have two yearly dressings of fertilisers. We counted in the first house 
250 bunches of Muscat of Alexandria, splendidly grown and finished, 
so compact and even in berry, averaging quite 2^ lbs. to the bunch. 
The top part of the house had still the supernumeraries with a grand 
crop of Gros Colman, and carrying just 250 bunches. 
Two lofty span houses, 100 feet by 24 feet, were planted with Gros 
Colman in April, 1885, and the Vines are now carrying respectively 1500 
and 1600 bunches, equally distributed from bottom to top of the houses, 
solid compact bunches with all the shoulders taken off, these are a fine 
