348 
GARDENERS’ SOCIETIES. 
* 
such societies; and that they are loudly called for, is a fact which I 
think no unprejudiced person will deny.' Gardeners, of all professional 
men, require the most extended and universal education. To be a 
gardener, you must know something of almost all the other arts and 
sciences : a knowledge of botany , vegetable physiology , land-survey ing, 
drawing , geometry , chemistry , &c. &c., are almost indispensible; and 
to acquire a sufficient knowledge of these various branches of learning, 
gardeners must possess advantages which seldom or never fall to their 
lot. Your correspondent, Mr. Burnham, has truly said, that “ the life 
of a young gardener is a life of privations;” but he certainly has mis¬ 
taken the means by which their condition is to be improved, and thence 
raised to their legitimate station and influence as members of truly 
civilised society. 
These mutual instructing societies, which have been proposed and 
so ably advocated by your correspondents, are, in my humble opinion, 
eminently calculated to accomplish the desired object, and I long much 
to see the project put in execution ; but I fear some of your correspond¬ 
ents who have written upon the subject are more men of precept than 
example, otherwise they might have had something of the kind esta¬ 
blished on the “ west side of London” long before now: and though I 
should glory to see such a society formed for affording the young 
gardener a means of acquiring a scientific knowledge of his profession, 
I cannot entirely approve of the means and ways taken for its accom¬ 
plishment. 
Had these clever individuals (who will ultimately, I presume, become 
fathers of the society) fully and distinctly laid the plan of their society 
before the public, and called public attention thereto—then set about 
forming it in the best manner their circumstances and situation would 
admit of—they would have acted the part of real benevolent and praise¬ 
worthy members of society, and would evidently have found many 
young men anxious and ready to tender them their support. But 
instead of going in this direct manner to the accomplishment of their 
object, they have kept up a prolix course of mere agitation, which is 
likely enough to issue in a “ bottle of smoke.” 
Surely there is no lack of young gardeners on the west side of 
London—at least I should fancy not from there being so many large 
horticultural establishments in that quarter—such, for instance, as 
Zion House, Chiswick House, the Horticultural Gardens, Lee’s of 
Hammersmith, &c. &c., which may of themselves constitute a very 
respectable society, were they all concentrated into one body. But it 
must be an obvious axiom to all, that, if it never is commenced, it 
never will be established; and it therefore becomes an imperative duty 
