May 4, 1895. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
569 
yellow flowers produced in whorls, one above the 
other, after the manner of P. japonica, though the 
flowers are not so large nor the scapes so stroDg. 
The species is a native of the Himalayas and easy to 
grow, and though the p'ants at times may not be 
long lived they are easily raised from seed, which are 
not difficult to procure as a rule. Neither the foliage 
nor the plants, as a whole, are bulky, so that they 
may be grown in relatively small pots, and intro¬ 
duced in various groups and arrangements in the 
conservatory or other houses where a display is being 
kept up. The accompanying illustration will give 
an idea of the habit of the plant. 
- 
AMELANCHIER CANA¬ 
DENSIS. 
In visiting the usual run of gentleman’s establish¬ 
ments one cannot fail to notice that, as a rule, the 
varieties of trees and shrubs met with are about the 
same, and that, moreover, 
if a list were to be made 
of the subjects so found, 
it would neither be a long 
nor an exhaustive one. 
Why this should be the 
case, it is, to say the least 
of it, rather difficult to 
imagine, for amongst our 
hardy flowering trees and 
shrubs we have a host of 
plants that might easily 
be utilised for the decora¬ 
tion of the flower garden 
with the best possible 
results. We are, to a cer¬ 
tain extent, puzzled to 
account for this lack of 
variety in the trees and 
shrubs which go to make 
up our shrubberies or 
which find a place as 
specimen trees upon the 
lawns or in the pleasure 
grounds of the majority of 
gardens, unless, perhaps, 
that want of knowledge 
txists among gardeners as 
to the merits of many of 
the hardy trees and shrubs 
which are to be obtained, 
but which as far as they 
are concerned might as 
well not exist, seeing that 
they know but little and 
apparently care less about 
them. 
Amelanchier canaden¬ 
sis, a fine North-Ameri- 
can subject, is an ex¬ 
cellent example of a 
tree that receives sur¬ 
prisingly little attention 
in proportion to its un¬ 
doubted merits. Its 
free-flowering qualities 
stamp it as one of the showiest of spring-flowering 
trees that will stand our climate, and the plants will 
commence to bloom whilst yet quite young—another 
good quality. A good instance of this may be seen 
at the present time in a shrubbery close to the 
Victoria Gate in Kew Gardens. A large tree at one 
corner is simply a dazzling sheet of white, so thickly 
are the rather short and compact racemes of flower 
produced; whilst some young trees, between 4 and 
5 ft. in height, are apparently trying to vie with 
their older relative as to the quantity of bloom they 
shall produce. A. canadensis, or the June Berry, as 
it is popularly called, is well worthy a place of 
honour in every establishment where hardy flowering 
trees find favour, as it is not at all particular as to soil, 
thriving almost anywhere, besides being exceedingly 
hardy. During the autumn months, moreover, an 
effect scarcely inferior to that produced by the 
flowers in springtime is furnished by the rich golden- 
yellow hue which the foliage assumes and which 
serve to render the tree conspicuous even then 
amidst the full glory of autumn tints which cause 
the landscape to literally glow with colour. 
Chrysanthemums and their Culture. By Edwin 
Molyneux. Eighth Edition. By far the best practical work yet 
written on this subject. Price, is.; post free, is. 2d. Publisher, 
Girdening World, i, Clement’s Inn, Strand, London, W.C. 
EDUCATION OF GARDENERS. 
Your leader on this subject on p. 531 touches 
a very important subject in the gardening profession. 
Some call it a menial occupation, and to a great ex¬ 
tent it is much made use of as such, being a close 
attendant upon accumulated capital. Where taste 
abounds this may take respect of various kinds as 
regards culture and in their arrangement, or it may 
be to gratify on the other hand the satisfaction of 
having for use the choicest fruits that can be grown. 
A good deal of this work can be done by good 
practical training alone, without the higher accom¬ 
plishments of knowing all the why's and wherefore’s 
of each application in the progress of the work. I 
think a rudimentary knowledge of vegetable physi¬ 
ology every gardener worthy of the name ought to 
have. This is best obtained in the early years of the 
student. The County Councils are no doubt render¬ 
ing good service to the community in various ways 
in technical education and horticulture in part, but 
to be of great benefit to the young man who goes in 
for gardening as an object in life it is very doubtful 
if they can be of much service. 
In this county (Cheshire) a college or training 
school is also beiDg formed for educating pupils in 
agriculture and horticulture. It will be a step in 
the right direction to train agricultural pupils in 
horticulture. In such a case horticulture is to be 
following up agriculture. Now those who have 
worked at the gardening business for a good many 
years will say that in it alone there is ample scope 
for any one's abilities to prosecute the work to per¬ 
fection. Besides, horticulture is far more varied or 
complex in its subjects than agriculture is. If we 
begin in the kitchen garden there is a good field to 
master all the modes of culture of the different sub¬ 
jects, and the working of the soil in the best way. 
If we then take hot-house fruits, there is a work of 
years before anyone ere the subject is known by 
heart. If we take specimen plants each individual 
kind wants to be known something about, or no 
great result will be achieved. The gardening 
business takes a long time to learn. 
I think it would be a very good plan if the County 
Councils would formulate some plan by which young 
gardeners could be tested or examined in their know¬ 
ledge of their profession, each county taking it up. 
But the questions on which they were examined, 
whether written or verbal, should be well considered; 
if written they should be free from useless catches, 
the non-answering of which might be no test of a 
gardener's general knowledge. 
Of equal if not of more importance than the 
accomplishment of a knowledge of the science of 
gardening, at any rate, to one in keeping his 
situation, is a good experience in the practical 
routine of the work. In this respect it is doubtful if 
the style of the last generation, or that recommended 
by the late J. C. Loudon, can be much improved 
upon for the training of young gardeners. After 
apprenticeship is over a change to a different part of 
the country is recommended for a year, then after 
that another change, and so on till the twenty-fifth 
year is reached. So great was the enthusiasm in the 
last generation with young gardeners that I have 
been told of their walking all the way on foot from 
Edinburgh to London 
in order to obtain 
knowledge in other 
branches and styles of 
gardening. As regards 
learning practical gar¬ 
dening now nothing 
could surpass the facili¬ 
ties offered in various 
private places, be it 
Orchids, rare plants, 
choice fruits, or even 
vegetables where they 
are grown well. A 
knowledge of horticul¬ 
tural chemistry would be 
a great advantage to a 
good practical gardener, 
and this is one of the 
best points that could be 
obtained in a training 
school. 
In perusing a garden¬ 
ing paper recently, I 
was almost surprised to 
see so many advertis¬ 
ing for situations. This, 
no doubt, would repre¬ 
sent a considerable 
amount of suffering and 
anxiety in the struggle 
for existence, so that 
it would be a clear 
case that there was 
no occasion for increas¬ 
ing the number of gar¬ 
deners in the country; 
and it is a subject worthy 
of consideration whether 
so many young men 
should be induced to 
begin the work, at any 
rate, as in other fields 
of labour competition 
may be even keener in 
the future. 
I remember when, as a young man, I was in Kew 
Gardens one day visiting an old chief who had been so 
fortunate as to obtain one of the very best situations in 
the country as gardener. In the course of the chat he 
amusingly said that he would not have a young man 
from Kew. This was not very complimentary, still, 
I always look back upon going to Kew as one of 
the most interesting changes in my course. As you 
know, special cultivation is not carried out to such 
perfection there as regards many subjects as in 
good private places, excepting, it might bs, rock and 
herbaceous plants, filmy Ferns, etc.; but a short time 
in these gardens I would recommend to any enter¬ 
prising young gardener, and Kew gardens would do 
excellent furtherservice if the authorities would take 
young men from private places for a time on the score 
of improving their education so that they could get 
back again better men, if they wished, to country 
places. It was pleasing to note recently in the papers 
that the gardening staff at Kew had their wages 
increased; this will enable those who wish to take 
advantage of seeing many of the different things 
going on in the metropolis and pay their way without 
getting into debt, for in my own case my wages did 
not keep me by a few pounds, going along in the 
most careful manner.— M. 
Primula floribunda. 
