May 6, 1893. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
561 
DEATH OF MR. E. SANDERSON. 
It is with much regret we have to announce the 
death of Mr. Edward Sanderson, for thirty years the 
President of what is now the National Chrysanthe¬ 
mum Society, who died on the morning of the 27th 
ult., having been in ill-health for some time past. 
Though unable for many months past to take an 
active part in the business of the society, Mr. 
Sanderson's name was retained on the committee in 
acknowledgment of his great services in years past, 
and more especially of his long association with the 
culture of the Chrysanthemum, and exhibition of 
his favourite flower. It was his earliest and his only 
floral love. On page 168 of the first volume of The 
Gardening World a sketch of the floricultural 
career of our old friend and colleague was given, and 
from it we learn that “ he saw the formation of the 
original Stoke Newington Chrysanthemum Society, 
by Messrs. James, Holmes, and Tant, in 1846,” and 
once when narrating his experiences as a cultivator 
he with great glee imformed us that on one occasion 
having visited an exhibition at the famed Rochester 
Castle Tavern, where he first saw Chrysanthemums 
produced in exhibition form, he, in 1848, purchased 
at Warners, at that time the well-known seedsmen 
in Cornhill, his first dozen plants, he at that lime 
living in the Queen’s Road, Dalston, then quite a 
rural district, that " he grew them in pots out of 
doors, and when it was unsafe to keep them longer 
in the open air brought them within doors and 
flowered them on a table in his drawing-room," and 
he recited how', "in order to admit more light into 
the room, he ruthlessly broke a sunlight outside." 
That was the beginning of the floral enthusiasm 
which remained with him so long as the state of his 
health admitted of his tending his flowers. 
He became a member of the Stoke Newington 
Chrysanthemum Society, was elected on the com¬ 
mittee, then secretary, vice-chairman, chairman of 
the committee, and eventually president. He filled 
that office when it became the Borough of Hackney 
Chrysanthemum Society, and some time after its 
broadening out into a National Society he resigned 
the presidental chair in favour of Lord Brooke. 
To the early volumes of Gossip of the Gavden, Mr. 
Sanderson contributed monthly some excellent 
cultural notes on the treatment of the Chrysanthe¬ 
mum, giving in detail the practice he carried out 
with so much success in after-years. On leaving 
Dalston he resided at Stoke Newington Green, and 
there bloomed his flowers in a tent having a glass 
roof and canvas sides. He then removed to Camden 
Town, and then, nearly twenty years ago, to 
Willesden, where he died. He has gone down to 
the grave amid the regret of a large circle of friends, 
and especially of those who like himself were devoted 
to the Chrysanthemum. He was buried in the 
parish churchyard of Willesden on Tuesday, his 
coffin being covered with wreaths sent by loving 
friends, including a very beautiful one from the 
President, Committee, and members of the National 
Chrysanthemum Society, which was represented at 
the graveside by Mr. Ballantine, Mr. Dean, Mr. 
Gordon, and other members. 
-- 
GARDENERS’ HALF- 
HOLIDAYS. 
I am in touch with the views expressed in your issue 
of April 22nd regarding the question of half-holidays 
for young gardeners. Those who are employed in 
gardens in common with other employes should 
have due consideration and sympathy from those in 
authority over them, but I have not yet met with 
any young men who have been able to suggest how 
the labour under glass can be disposed of so that 
the men can get away at 2 o’clock. We all know 
that where there is a fair number of plants grown, 
and the average of fruit and vegetable forcing carried 
on under glass, Saturday afternoon is the busiest 
period of the week, preparations having to be made 
to reduce the work on Sunday, so that as much of 
the day of rest as possible may be enjoyed by all 
employed in the garden. 
Where there is little glass requiring attention the 
difficulty is nominal, but where a number of men are 
employed in the houses it is impossible that Saturday 
afternoon can be granted as a holiday to them. We 
have always a struggle to get the day’s work done 
by 5 p.m. on Saturdays. I have been where the 
half-holiday was allowed, but not at all relished by 
the men under glass on account of their labour; on 
Saturday afternoon and Sunday being rendered so 
much more arduous than the remainder of the week. 
Wednesday would be much more suitable for men 
employed under glass, but I fear if the half-holiday 
is generally conceded it may lead to serious modifi¬ 
cations in the rate of wages paid during the winter 
months, as from November to February, but little 
can be done in gardens before 8 a.m. or after 4 pm. 
Then there are the regular holidays during the 
season which are paid for by the employers, and in 
most cases time lost through sickness is also paid for, 
which is not the case in other branches of labour. 
It must be admitted (at least I thought so when 
an underling) that under gardeners have more time 
for study and self-improvement than any other class 
of working men by reason of their having such long 
evenings during at least four months of the year. 
Employers generally allow their gardeners a choice 
of gardening literature, but it is regrettable to observe 
what little value is put upon this means of obtaining 
free instruction.— Stirling. 
-- 
YOUNG GARDENERS. 
I think there will be many young gardeners who 
will join with me in thanking the Editor for the 
leader that appeared in a recent issue under the 
above title; it being really, I suppose, the outcome 
of the movement in some quarters to procure a 
weekly half-holiday, and I agree that Saturday is 
not the best day for that purpose. It would be much 
better that a week-day followed the holiday rather 
than the Sunday. You have also, I believe, taken 
the right course in advising us young gardeners to 
use as a strong plea that we need the spare time to 
utilise intellectually, to be used more in the recrea¬ 
tion of mind than bod}', in the advancement of our 
profession. 
It has been my lot to work in some four or five 
different counties, after the manner of most young 
gardeners wishing to make themselves acquainted 
with the practice of gardening under varying con¬ 
ditions, and which can only be obtained by such 
journeyings from one well-managed establishment to 
another. My superiors have differed widely in the 
interest they have evinced towards the young 
men under them, and what a forcible truth is the 
complaint you speak of. I am sorry to say that in 
too many cases our head men look upon us as mere 
parts of a machine for the successful management 
of a garden, and so far care for us intellectually as 
regards the carrying out of their orders or of our 
capabilities during work hours. This sounds un¬ 
pleasant, but the case must be stated plainly. 
I should say that it has also been my good fortune 
to work under men whom I soon found were true 
friends, and who really interested themselves in our 
welfare, and now as I look back on the time spent 
with them with pleasure, I recall the regrets I felt 
at leaving them. Many a young man spends a year 
or two in a large private establishment, and during 
that time he neither personally knows the gardener 
nor the gardener him. I believe a good many head 
men are fearful of the consequences resulting from 
a little social intercourse with their men on the 
score, perhaps, that " familiarity" breeds contempt. 
But should it not rather tend to give rise to a better 
opinion of what the " boss ” is, to endeavour to look 
on him in the light of a friend as well as a master ? 
I am speaking from experience, and I know of many 
a weary month passed without a word of encourag- 
ment, though enlivened now and again by torrents of 
high words at the slightest omission of duties. Can 
we wonder then that young men seem more prone to 
visit the public-house than the reading-room ? 
What creates in many cases that strict attention 
to duty ? Is it, as it should be, the love of our pro¬ 
fession ? or the fear that a little forgetfulness means 
a row ? Too often the latter. Why do we suffer it ? 
Because under the system we are forced to follow, 
we stay to get the record of time spent, and hail its 
finish very often by packing up and off to the 
nursery. The gardening profession is well repre¬ 
sented as regards the Press, but I am afraid it would 
be regarded as rank heresey to question the 
behaviour of many men in good positions in the 
gardening world, or to freely ventilate the 
grievances of probationers. Young men are not 
represented _in the Press ; then how is it that the 
character of a gardener is known from one end of 
England to the other ? In the main, the knowledge 
is acquired by the periodical visits to the great 
nurseries that young men are obliged to do until 
another situation is found. The late Mr. Wildsmith 
was an acknowledged authority, a good gardener, 
and a strict disciplinarian ; but combined with this 
was a true interest in the welfare of the young men 
under him, alway ready to endeavour to elevate and 
educate. Paxton societies and gardeners’ improve¬ 
ment societies are steps in the right direction. 
I am glad to see that the Royal Horticultural 
Society is waking up, in the way of holding examina¬ 
tions and competitions for scholarships, and I 
should like to see something of the sort for young 
gardeners alone. May the time soon come when 
this distance between head and under gardeners will 
be bridged over, resulting, I feel sure, to the good of 
both. The necessary maintenance of dignity and 
order will, I am sure, be easier when young men 
have proved that those above them are something 
other than over-bearing tyrants.— Probationer. 
--- 
THE FRUIT CROPS. 
It is many years since we have had such a fine pros¬ 
pect of a thoroughly good fruit season, though this 
was not anticipated during the cold dull days of last 
autumn. The growth of trees was brought suddenly 
to a standstill in the north by frost setting in early 
and unusually severe. We noticed that fruit buds 
were prominent early in the season and the long 
frosty period seemed to mature or at least rest the 
buds which were formed. P'rom the second week in 
M^.rch the weather has been unusually fine. Rain 
fell during the second week of April but was followed 
by sunshine ; some nights we had from 5 0 to 7 0 of 
frost, but by reason of the dryness nothing seems to 
have suffered. 
It is long since we heard of such a fine set of 
Apricots and now that the foliage is well-developed 
and healthy, a good protection to the fruit is afforded. 
Plums are not yet quite safe in the north but they 
look promising at present. Cherries are now (April 
25th) sheets of white open blossoms. A number of 
Morello trees have been thinned by cutting off short 
pieces of wood laden with white flowers, and they are 
very pretty for decorative purposes. Apples are 
thickly studded with fruit blossom and those which 
never fail in bearing full crops are now as promising 
as ever. We never had fruit bushes so heavily laden 
with flowers as now. Pears are promising but not 
equal to Apples. There may yet be the proverbial 
slip between the cup and the lip, but our hopes for 
good results are very lively. Strawberries seemed to 
suffer somewhat but now the flowers appear to be 
coming up abundantly—President and Viscomtess 
Hericart de Thury still retain the position of hardiest 
and best croppers and they maintain their good name 
this season.— Stirling. 
-►*.- 
VEGETABLES AND THE 
FROST. 
Though we do not remember to have seen vege¬ 
tables more severely dealt with by frost than during 
the past winter, we are compensated to some extent 
by a season unsurpassed for its suitability for the 
raising of seedlings. Everything which we have 
sown is in the finest condition, and though some are 
calling out by reason of the absence of rain, we have 
no fault to find. A scarcity of spring vegetables is 
general in most northern gardens. Broccoli having 
suffered very severely leaves a blank which cannot 
be filled easily. Cabbages were mostly all destroyed 
in the open plots, but plants placed in sheltered 
positions suffered little. Celery stood well, and we 
shall have fair supplies till the end of May. When 
this crop is planted shallow and not grown too 
grossly for latest supplies, it becomes hardy, fine- 
flavoured, and keeps late. 
A good substitute for Broccoli during spring is an 
abundance of Seakale kept covered with soil, which 
blanches it almost equal to anything else. We hope 
to have plenty for weeks to come. We have had Sea- 
kale in prime condition as late as June under the 
shade of walls and kept well covered. Spinach 
seemed almost quite destroyed, but a quantity of the 
round-leaved variety had its hearts remain sound, 
and these are now in vigorous growth and doing 
good service, while Prickly Spinach was rendered 
worthless. Parsley suffered more than usual, but 
from sowings made last autumn and pricked into 
boxes of soil we have had good supplies, and the 
plants are now in fine condition for planting out for 
permanent use. 
