854 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 6, 1886. 
been foreman a specified length of time in a certain establishment, and 
that he could have good references from there and elsewhere. Thinking 
that the man might have to leave home through domestic affliction, I 
decided to do what I could for him, and wrote to him for his references, 
but only one was forthcoming. Kn >wing nothing in the neighbourhood 
likely to suit this person, I sent on his first letter to me to an old and 
valued friend—a gardener of undoubted ability and of unquestionable 
intregrity, and respected and appreciated, so far as I know with one 
exception, by all who know him—who I thought had, or was likely to 
have, a vacancy. My friend, taking the same view as myself in regard 
to his letter of application, thought it would be an act of charity to find 
him employment. He accordingly wrote to the young man, distinctly 
stating the kind of work he would be required to do, and the terms upon 
which he could be engaged, one of which was the payment of £5 as a 
premium for an unspecified length of time, but which, as a fact, covers 
three years, a premium which no reasonable person will call exorbitant. 
The young man replied, and in his letter called this £5 “ a large sum,” 
made particular inquiries as to working hours, inquired if he might have 
flowers when he wanted them to send away, and distinctly stated that he 
could ‘ stay at home no longer,” because—now mark this—his “father” 
was “ so servile.” My friend replied to this letter in full, administering 
such a rebuke that would have decided 99 per cent, of ordinary mortals 
not to engage, but at the same time frankly stating that if he, the young 
man, went, and did his duty by him, the gardener, he, the gardener, 
would do his duty to him. 
In due time the man entered upon his duties, and was found to be 
incapable of performing satisfactorily the work that he was engaged to 
do ; he was then set to do other work, and ultimately sent to another 
part of the estate. I am informed that he wore gloves when stoking, 
wore a ring on his finger when at work, and in many ways demonstrated 
that he was altogether too big for his situation, and attracted the atten¬ 
tion of the noble owner of the estate so much by his dress and manners 
in general as to cause him to exclaim to his lady and the head gardener, 
who was attending them, that “ Young gardeners appear to be getting 
up in the world.” It is also stated that he would not “turn out” at 
the same time as the other men, coolly ignoring the foreman’s authority. 
The effect this sort of thing has upon discipline amongst a large staff of 
men many head gardeners and others well know. Ultimately he received 
notice to leave, but was allowed to stay on some time, in order tbat he 
m : ght suit himself with another situation. As time passed on and he 
did not go, my friend had no alternative but to dismiss him with the 
usual notice. 
During the time the young man was there, which was several 
months, I believe the head gardener deducted about 24s. from his 
wages—the custom in that establishment being for the £5 to be paid 
during the first year, the second and third years to be free—about a due 
proportion of the premium to bp pai l. From the time of his dismissal 
until now he has been a perfect nuisance, by writing bullying and 
threatening letters (all of which I have seen) demanding a return of all 
or part of the money deducted as a premium, and compensation for dis¬ 
missal, under pains of exposure in the Press and a letter of complaint to 
“ her ladyship,” under all of which the “victim” bears up most cheer¬ 
fully. So far as I know the matter is not settled yet, but if the young 
man thinks he has a “ case ” he knows the remedy. 
Similar instances to the foregoing do arise sometimes, but I am 
thankful to be able to say, to the credit of young gardeners and the com¬ 
fort of head gardeners, they are few and far between. Like “W. P. R.,” 
I will not now either defend or condemn the system of premiums, but con¬ 
tent myself by citing a case showing up the other side.— Observer. 
to be seen outside, but I have never seen a more healthy and vigorous lot 
of plants than those which were rapidly coming into bloom under glass. 
There is an idea entertained by some tbat strains have something to do 
with the blooming character, and a strain known about here as Mrs. 
Cooper has been considered a very vigorous and floriferous one. Nothing 
could be finer at any rate than the foliage, or more abundant than the 
blooms, which hang in thick clusters on the plants trained on the front 
of one of these houses. The more forward blooms were being sent up to 
London, while large numbers were rapidly pushing their way. The price 
which they bring is not so remunerative as it used to be, for while the 
demand is as great as ever, the supply has largely increased, and the 
depression in trade, which affects everything, affects even blooms of 
Mar6chal Niel. 
There is in the first house which Mr. Mount put up a fine lot of other 
Tea Roses, Jean Ducher, Marie Van Houtte, Etoile de Lyon, Souvenir 
d’Elise, &e., &c., which are grown for the same purpose. Another house 
has just been planted with the same, while out of doors a border has been 
covered with framework on which lights are placed, protecting them from 
the frost. These lights are now taken off, and the Roses will come in as 
intermediate between those planted in the house and those quite in the 
open. These, too, are vigorous ; some have been cut by the frost, but not 
so much so as I should have expected, while Mr. Mount told me that in 
his sheltered garden at Harbledown they had been very much cut, owing 
perhaps to the nearness of water, but the effect of severe winters on Roses 
is a complex questi n, which may some day form the subject of a sym¬ 
posium for the “ Year B iok.” Altogether, I think Mr. Mount’s Rose 
garden, which is on capital loam, promises to be a success. He has had 
two very trying years since he began his work at St. Dunstan’s, the 
extreme drought, especially in such soil as his, having sorely tried his 
plants. 
Mr. Mount does not intend to confine himself exclusively to Roses, 
although they form the great piece de resistance. He has numerous beds 
of Hellebores, which are to be utilised for the same purpose. A city so 
abounding in smoke is likely to require a good many of these lovely white 
flowers at Christmas time, and they will doubtless find a ready sale. He 
is also going in largely for Narcissus for the same purpose. The same 
cause has led him to enter largely into the growth of Chrysanthemums, 
especially the late-flowering white kinds, such as Duchess of Teck, 
Ethel, &c., and a large number of young promising plants showed that 
he is determined in this, as in other things, not to be behindhand. 
Although there is nothing very remarkable about this nursery, yet I 
have thought that many who know our energetic friend will be glad to 
hear that he is in a fair way of carrying out, as a grower for sale, the 
success he achieved as an amateur, and I shall be much surprised if we 
do hear of him again in the exhibition of his favourite flower,for although 
he is not likely to measure himself with the giants of the Rose world, I 
yet think that he will take a fair place amongst those who aspire to make 
some mark, and that, especially in Teas, we shall see in the future proofs 
of his skill, intelligence, and industry.—D., Deal. 
MR. GEO. MOUNT’S NURSERY, CANTERBURY. 
It will be remembered that some years ago I was enabled to record 
the wonderful success that Mr. George Mount had obtained from a small 
number of Rose trees which he grew at his small garden at Harbledown, 
near Canterbury. He was then an amateur in the true sense of the word, 
loving his Roses and tending them carefully himself, and doing all the 
work connected with them. This “ harmonious Blacksmith,” as we are 
wont to call him, for he was a son ot Vulcan, and also organist, has no 
small amount of energy, although bad health, which would weigh down 
many, has not crippled his exertions or damped his ambition. His 
achievements in that year (1882) in which, after exhibiting, from about 
400 trees, twenty-eight times, he gained twenty-seven prizes and a silver 
cup, of which nineteen were firsts, seemed to have added a fresh stimulant 
to his zeal, and finding that he could not with any safety go on as an 
amateur, he determined to try what he could do as a nurseryman. He 
therefore rented a piece of ground at St. Dunstan’s, on the outskirts of 
Canterbury, and set to work with his accustomed vigour. Having b ith a 
carpenter’s and a blacksmith’s business, he was enabled to put up his 
houses at a comparatively small cost, or, at any rate, much more cheaply 
than he could have otherwise done, and as with most persons who 
commence the putting up of glass, he is constantly increasing his 
houses. 
I may say that his object has not been so much the growing of plants 
for sale, as that of growing them for cut blooms, and hence his houses 
are mainly filled with Tea and Noisette Roses, 8nd predominant amongst 
them that ever acceptable Rose, Mardchal Niel. Like the cannons in the 
charge of the Light Brigade, it is to be found everywhere—on the back 
and in the front of the houses, enj ying the protection and waimth of 
the glass, on walls facing east and walls facing west, on standards, and on 
dwarfs in the open. At this time of the year of course there was nothing 
As will be seen from a notice in our advertisement columns, Mr. 
B. S. Williams, Victoria and Paradise Nurseries, has provided an 
Exhibition of Orchids at Upper Holloway, which will be shortly 
opened, and continue open until the end of June. The hruse employed 
for the purpose is a spacious structure, 100 feet long and 22 feet wide, and 
those who saw the beautiful display provided last year will have some 
idea of what to expect this season, and which will attract a great number 
of visitors. 
- We have received an extremely large spathe of Anthurium 
Andreanum from a plant grown by Mr. Cowling, gardener to R. Ruston, 
Esq., M.P., Monk’s Manor, Lincoln. It is 8 inches broad across the 
upper part and 8% inches deep, very b ight in colour, but with a greenish 
tinge round the upper margin. 
- The Committee of the Canterbury Rose Society have 
decided to alter the date of their Exhibition from Thursday, July 1st, to 
Tuesday, June 29th, in order to avoid clashing with Reigate. 
- “ D., Deal," writes :—“ I have to thank 1 T. YV. G.’ for noticing 
my slip of the pen with regard to Rose Sunset. May I also notice an 
hiatus in my paper on “ Auriculas at South Kensington,” whether my 
fault or not I cannot say. After “ it seems impossible ” there should 
have been added, “ to get these bright violet-purple tints of body colour 
with an orange or yellow tube.” 
- “Lanarkshire Bee-keeper” writes:— “In the remarks by 
