FEBRUARY. 
25 
There are, doubtless, men of a practical turn of mind who are ready to 
question the advantages of Examinations of this kind, on the ground that they 
are wholly theoretical and smack of book-learning, wiiile they themselves 
hold that there is nothing like practice : but we must demur to this view of 
the matter. The Examinations probe deeply into the practical knowledge of 
the candidates. Men of natural talent may spring up here and there whose 
inborn sense completely distances all the studies of such of their less fortunate 
neighbours as have no such advantages ; hut taking men at the average, 
we hold that the mind requires to he exercised in whatever subject the hands 
may he engaged in, before the work which is to result can be intelligent 
work ; and it is just this exercise and stimulus which Examinations furnish 
in the case of the gardener. He may plod on at his daily task, week after 
week and year after year, and he but little the wiser for it, or hut little better 
fitted to act on his own resources ; but if he is set thinking about the very 
same operations, he must be mentally blind indeed if he does not see a new 
light bursting in upon him, and find that what was before to him unmean¬ 
ing routine has become from that time pregnant with purpose. The acqui¬ 
sition of knowledge serving to elucidate the duties of daily life is good for 
us all, and not less so for the young gardener than for others. To acquire 
this knowledge is one grand stage on the road towards success. To apply 
it when acquired with tact and common sense, may be almost said to com¬ 
plete the journey. 
We add to these remarks a brief statement of the results at the two 
Examinations to which we have specially referred. That of the Society of 
Arts took place in April, 1866, and the following were the Certificates 
gained:— 
CERTIFICATES. 
. & 
i a 
Fruit * 
NAME AND AGE. 
J* fl 
a 
•rH 
s 3 
and 
o & 
O 
Vegetable 
M 
b 
Culture. 
E. Brown, Salford — 25 . . 
• • 
3rd 
• • 
A. Dean, Southampton — 34 
3rd 
J. K. Dempster, Glasgow — 27 . 
• • 
2nd 
• • 
V - 
J. Duncan, London — 22 . . . . .. . . .. ) 
O-^ A 
Royal Horticultural Society’s Prize of £5 for Botany i 
• • 
Zna 
Zna 
• • 
J. Godsepe, Chelmsford — 19 
• • 
3rd 
• • 
J. C. Higgs, Southampton — 25 .. 
3rd 
E. C. Kingston, Hull — 19 .. .. .. .. ) 
Royal Horticultural Society’s Prize of £1 for Botany i 
3rd 
3rd 
3rd 
2nd 
W. OsboRNE, London — 25 
3rd 
3rd 
A. Parsons, Burton — 22 .. 
• • 
3rd 
* • 
W. P. Roberts, Ipswich — 26 .. .. .. . . ) 
Society of Arts’ Prize of £5 for Pruit and V egetable Culture 1 
• • 
• • 
-LSQ 
G. Stanton, Slough—25 .. .. .. .. .. ) 
Onrl 
Society of Arts’ Prize of £5 for Floriculture . j 
• • 
• • 
— I1U. 
G. M. Woodrow, Richmond (Surrey)—20 .. .. \ 
Society of Arts’ Prizes of £3 for Floriculture, and £3 for 
Fruit and Vegetable Culture, and Royal Horticultural 
3rd 
3rd 
1st 
1st 
Society’s Prize of £3 for Botany 
At the Examination of the Royal Horticultural Society in December, 1866, 
Mr. R. C. Kingston, of the Royal Gardens, Kew, and Mr. George Stanton, 
of Berry Hall Gardens, Taplow, Maidenhead, won the distinction of being 
