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THE GARDENING WORLD 
April 7, 1900. 
Our correspondent refers to the prevail¬ 
ing order of things existing in Scotland, and 
reckons amongst the grievances of under¬ 
gardeners too long working hours, inferior 
bothies, and low wages ; yet he admits that 
in his particular district all those advan¬ 
tages are fairly well met. By comparison 
with other occupations, however, he thinks 
that the wages of under-gardeners stand in 
need of a little advancement. With this 
we entirely agree. A slight advance on the 
present rate of wages would mend matters 
considerably, when one remembers the fact 
that a few shillings in the country go much 
further than in town, though that may be 
due in a great measure to the less need there 
is to spend the money earned. In bothies 
there is no rent to pay, no coals nor light to 
buy ; and various other things for which the 
town gardener has to pay do not in purely 
country life come to be necessities, or only 
occasionally. When to this is added the 
fact that employment for most of the men 
is continuous all the year round, there may 
be bad days, but no unpaid ones. The 
glamour of a considerably higher wage in 
and near towns is undoubtedly a means of 
luring gardeners and others towards the 
great centres of population ; but when the 
expenses of the new and absolutely 
necessary requirements are deducted from 
the higher wages obtainable by town and 
suburban gardeners, the remainder may,and 
very often is below the living wage accorded 
to the country gardener. Against all this, 
however, we may place the greater advan¬ 
tages which town gardeners enjoy in the 
much greater facilities afforded for self im¬ 
provement in the way of education, by 
attending evening classes, libraries, mutual 
improvement societies, and the like, which 
tend to give gardeners a much greater and 
more far reaching grasp of their profession, 
thus raising their mental standard, and 
making them more useful to their employers, 
besides affording them a much more ex¬ 
tended and legitimate means of enjoying 
life. 
Our correspondent also calls attention to 
the scarcity of young gardeners in the North. 
Mr. M. Temple also alluded to this fact in 
a very pointed manner in our pages a short 
time ago, the chief reason adduced being 
the low rate of wages offered to young 
gardeners, the difference between the 
emoluments accorded to the gardening pro 
fession compared with that of other occupa¬ 
tions being so great as to draw or drive the 
men into altogether different channels of 
labour. There can be no doubt that the 
low wage question in gardening is of far 
reaching importance, and hundreds either 
creep into towns, or crossing the borders 
come south in order to better themselves. 
Many go abroad to all quarters of the world 
where the conditions are often anything but 
conducive either to happiness or longevity. 
When all these things are considered it 
would be to the advantage of employers to 
offer better remuneration to their young 
employees in order to induce them to stay on 
the land. On all the larger establishments 
at least there ought to be a cottage on the 
estate for the foreman or heads of depart¬ 
ments. It is obvious that many men at 
least must wait for years before an oppor¬ 
tunity occurs for them to fill the position of 
head gardener, if indeed such places can 
ever be found for them all. There is an 
advantage in young men roaming about 
from place to place in their youth, for they 
thereby get a greatly extended knowledge 
of their profession to their own and ulti¬ 
mately their employers’ advantage ; but the 
time must come in the natural course of 
events when it would not only be convenient 
but necessary to settle down to some earn¬ 
est and useful occupation. 
A suggestion is also made that gardeners 
should form themselves into some sort of union 
or combination for the betterment of their 
conditions of labour. Such a proposal was 
made some years ago by the Tunbridge 
Wells Gardeners’ Society, and a large 
number of gardeners were gathered together 
to discuss the matter; but though they 
were ostentatiously opposed to anything 
like a trade union, yet the matter was re¬ 
garded with so much suspicion that the 
project fell through in the initial stages. 
Those gardeners who are in fairly comfort¬ 
able positions, and who are not particularly 
favoured in that respect hesitate to commit 
themselves in any way that would be likely 
to jeopardise their positions. The remainder 
are not strong enough to have any appreci¬ 
able effect in bettering their position. As 
far as we can see, gardeners are too widely 
separated to be able to combine in any 
formidable manner. The resources of 
civilisation may not, however, be exhausted 
even in this matter, and it maybe possible 
by peaceable means to attain by degrees 
the desired object in a way that will suit all 
parties concerned. Of course young 
gardeners are differently situated to those 
in head places, and could rough it for a time 
if prospects warranted a combination on 
their part; but as far as we can see no com¬ 
pulsion of any sort in the meantime would 
further their ends. Our correspondent, we 
admit, is of this same opinion, for he advises 
peaceable and constitutional means. We 
have evidence that there is a real scarcity 
of useful journeymen gardeners at present 
in some quarters, and this in itself we should 
imagine would in course of time bring about 
the desired improvement in the matter of 
wages. We cannot see how employers 
could continue to carry on their establish¬ 
ments with practically inexperienced 
labourers in lieu of well trained journeymen 
gardeners. The efficiency of their gardens 
and glass houses would soon decline. 
Moreover, unskilled labourers demand a 
higher wage than journeyman gardeners. 
The latter look upon their circumstances for 
the time being and are content to follow out 
their calling at a relatively low wage in 
prospect of something infinitely better 
when they get into head gardeners’ positions. 
If, however, the attractions in other occupa¬ 
tions become so great as to induce journey¬ 
men in any considerable numbers to throw 
up their profession for something more re¬ 
munerative, surely it will be high time for 
employers to seriously reconsider the whole 
matter and offer their employees something 
more substantial. 
War Item.—Lord Roberts has a beautiful collec¬ 
tion of Orchids at Kingsbury .—Daily Chronicle. 
Rosery at Karlsruhe, Germany.—With the 
March number of Rosen Zeitung is issued two plates 
in black and white of the Rosery of the town garden 
at Karlsruhe. The Rosery in question, judging 
from the illustrations, is of an extensive and ambi¬ 
tious character. In what appears to be the centre 
is an octagonal structure or framework of iron pillars 
and wirework, gradually contracted on the roof to 
another and shorter set of pillars surmounted with a 
dome of the same material. Winding walks run in 
various directions, and between the paths are 
stretches of grass on which beds are laid out and 
filled with bush and standard Roses. At various 
points the paths are surmounted by archways of wire 
framework, covered with Roses. Altogether the 
display of Roses during their season must be great, 
judged by the photographic reproductions of the 
rosery in full bloom. The standards are so numer¬ 
ous as to give the place a thickly planted appearance, 
while there is a back ground of deciduous and ever¬ 
green trees including Conifers. Something of the 
kind might well be attempted in some of the London 
parks, for Roses, as a rule, do well even within the 
confines of London ; and the heavy soils in some of 
them should suit the Roses. 
Peach trees on early walls are in flower at Gatton- 
side, Melrose, N.B. 
The Thirsty Land.—The fact that the River 
Tweed, as an instance, is almost at its lowest ebb, 
even after all the snows and rains, proves how very 
thirsty the sub-soil and land generally must have 
been. 
Mrs. Joubert peeling Potatos under Shell Fire.— 
A friend of Joubert, now in Pretoria, while paying a 
visit to Joubert at the front in Natal, saw Mrs. 
Joubert complacently peeling Potatos for. her hus¬ 
band’s dinner, while shells from a British battery 
were constantly dropping within a short distance of 
her. 
Royal Horticultural Society.—The next fruit and 
flower show of the Royal Horticultural Society will 
be held on Tuesday, April loth, 1—5 p.m., in the Drill 
Hall, James Street, Westminster, when special prizes 
will be offered for Daffodils (See R.H.S. Book of 
Arrangements, p. 58). At 3 o’clock a lecture on 
"Some of Plants Exhibited’’will be given by the 
Rev. Prof. G. Henslow, M.A., &c. 
Chester Paxton Society.—The concluding meet¬ 
ing of the present session was held at the Museum 
on the 31st ult., Mr. Weaver presiding, over a fair 
attendance, when Mr. Waterman, secretary of the 
Woolton Society, gave a practical lecture on exhibi¬ 
tion Roses, dealing with the leading details including 
site, preparation, culture, pests, and some hints on 
staging for exhibition. A useful discussion followed 
in which several members took part. A cordial vote 
of thaDks was tendered to Mr. Waterman for his 
excellent lecture, and to Mr. Weaver for presiding. 
Change of Address.—Messrs. Thomas S. Ware, 
Ltd., who have carried on business for so many 
years at the Hale Farm Nurseries, Tottenham, have 
now completed the removal of their stock to their 
new nurseries. The new address is Messrs. Thomas 
S.Ware, Ltd.,Hale Farm N urseries, Feltham,Middle¬ 
sex. They will now be able to grow plants under much 
more favourable conditions than formerly. The 
Thames valley at Feltham is wide and flat, fertile, 
and so far removed from the smoke radius of smoky 
and foggy London, that plants will have a better 
chance of existence, especially in winter. 
Hints for Emigrants.—The April circulars giving 
details and prospects for those intending to emigrate 
have now been sent out. The present is the best 
time of the year to emigrate to Canada. The prin¬ 
cipal demand is for farm and general labourers, 
skilled miners and female domestic servants. The 
Government Labour Bureau in New South Wales 
reports that the severe drought of 1898-99 badly 
affected the labour market, making employment 
scarce and irregular. Prospects have improved 
latterly owing to the plentiful rains which have 
fallen. Very little extra labour, however, is required. 
The increased value of the exports and imports last 
year shows that the colony of Victoria is enjoying 
increased prosperity. A large number of people are 
employed in the making of railways. There is a good 
demand for skilled plumbers on the Melbourne drain¬ 
age works; otherwise there is no great demand for 
extra labour. In South Australia, at Port Pirie, 
there is a limited demand for mechanics and general 
labourers. In country districts there has been a good 
demand for agricultural labourers, men able to work 
binders and strippers. In Queensland there is a good 
demand for farm labourers and domestic servants, to 
whom free or reduced passages are being granted. 
The number of employees on the railways has been 
largely increased to meet the demands for increased 
traffic, additional mileage and for repairs to rolling 
stock, particularly locomotives. With regard to 
Western Australia the report of the Bureau is that 
no really able bodied man, desirous of finding em¬ 
ployment, remained idle for any length of time. 
There was a considerable demand for farm labourers. 
There was a considerable demand for skilled 
mechanics of various classes at East Coolgardie. 
Female servants were wanted in several parts. In 
Tasmania, the best opening Is for skilled miners or 
mechanics on the west coast. In New Zealand com¬ 
petent labourers in the country have no difficulty in 
procuring good wages at shearing, flax-milling, bush¬ 
felling, road making or general farm work. Persons 
are warned against going to South Africa in search of 
work, as long as the war lasts. Fuller Information 
may be obtained from the Emigrants’ Information 
Office, 31, Broadway, Westminster, S.W. 
