364 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
February 2, 1901. 
there is often a dependence between the gardener 
and foreman, and very little work is done without 
consulting each other : whereas in large establish¬ 
ments he will have to think and act for himself, 
which will be very beneficial to him in after life. 
There is not a uniform standard of proficiency, 
but good references from a number of different well 
kept gardens will make a good substitute for in¬ 
fluential friends, and in whatever position of life we 
are in we must concentrate our energy and skill for 
the benefit of our employers, for our own good, and 
for the country generally. No doubt some may 
laugh at "for the country generally," but I contend 
that gardeners are more important, both at home 
and in the colonies, than they are generally credited 
for. 
Then again, I have an opinion that many gar¬ 
deners have power, more or less, to improve their 
own positions, even when they are not in large 
gardens There is much patience and perseverance 
needed, for even a good man’s work remains a long 
time before producing good results. With regard to 
the small wages, I cannot touch on that point, as I 
am one of the fortunate gardeners who have a good 
employer who pays good wages. Hoping our kind 
editor will find room for this in his valuable paper, 
and also for other papers on this subject from older 
and more experienced gardeners, I am— C. P. C. 
As “ Nil Desperandum," I am very much interested 
in the letters which appear in The Gardening 
World, and I think as regards journeymen prefer- 
ing small establishments to large ones is a great mis¬ 
take. Of course, it may be a little more comfortable 
where there are a few kept in the bothy, but what good 
is a man if he is afraid of roughing it a bit ? There is 
invariably more to be learned in a large establish¬ 
ment than in a small one, more so if, as Mr. T. S. 
Dick justly observes in his article on '‘Journeymen,’’ 
chaps keep their eyes open. Of course, there are 
exceptions to the rule, but in larger places there is 
generally more variety of plants grown, and, there¬ 
fore, more chance of learning. I also thiDk that the 
kitchen garden work is too much neglected by young 
gardeners simply because the work is a trifle harder, 
but as a head gardener what good is he even if be 
is well acquainted with Chrysanthemums, Orchids, 
fruits, and plants, and has no idea of outside 
woik ? 
As regards money, gardeners on a whole, are 
poorly paid. The general rule for journeymen's 
wages is t6s. to i8s. weekly, and very often lodge out, 
having to pay from 12s. to 14s. a week for board and 
lodgings. What has he got left to depend on or put 
by for sfter life? Some, it is true, get 18s and 
bothy, and certainly these are slightly better off. I 
also think gardeners should have a little theory 
as well as practice, and for this purpose 
technical institutes should be attended, more 
especially those where interesting lectures are given 
on gardening topics and botany. How useful it 
would be to see more young men go in for these 
things, as many a long winter's evening could be 
pleasantly passed away doing lessons or studying, 
instead of squandering them away on useless 
amusements. One can never learn too much, 
especially in the gardening line, for, as the old say¬ 
ing goes, "A gardener's work is never done.” 
Mr. T. S. Dick, in his eloquent article on 
"Journeymen, is of the same opinion as myself. 
He strongly advises keeping a diary, and this is very 
useful, as if memory fails later on how very handy it 
is to have a diary to fall back upon. I hope we 
shall hear the opinion of some more of The 
Gardening World readers, as this paper, I firmly 
believe, is read weekly by hundreds.-— Helper. 
I am glad to see so many taking part in this 
discussion, although they for the most part disagree 
with my opinions. This is well, as a discussion falls 
very flat if all are agreed. I’m afraid, however, 
that I am so far unconvinced by any of the argu¬ 
ments brought forward. I admit that in my short 
article I may not have made my meaning just so 
clear as might be desirable I do not of course 
mean that service in large places is in itself a bad 
thing, on the contrary if there was one chance in a 
hundred for a young man to obtain the headship in 
such a place, after he had gained sufficient experi¬ 
ence, I say undoubtedly let him always endeavour 
to serve in large gardens. On the other hand what 
are the facts ? I think I am quite safe in saying that 
over 90 per cent, of places may be classed as small. 
This leaves under 10 per cent, of really desirable 
situations. Now is it not a fact that men trained 
entirely in these large places, feel a great aversion 
to become head gardener in a small place ? On the 
other hand a man trained in smaller places, is 
usually pretty well grounded in every department, 
and should luck favour him so far as to allow him 
to gain a headship in a large place, his former 
training instead of standing in his way is greatly in 
his favour, as usually the small places are much 
more economically worked, so when more latitude is 
gained the relief is great, and any man of spirit 
and who really loves his profession will get on. The 
man again trained in places where everything is 
plentiful and no expense spared, fares but poorly if 
he has to ccme down in the world. These are facts 
that I have acquired by experience. I have served 
in both large and small places, and I must say that 
the best and most comfortable places are those 
where all branches of gardening receive attention, 
and where the place is well manned. This last, as 
Mr. T. S. Dick points out, is one of the most vital 
grievances we have, and unfortunately undermanned 
places are now-a-days almost universal. 
As to my critics, " Young Gardener,” and " Nil 
Desperandum," I may say that I have yet to come 
across the diary keeping journeyman. I do not 
mean to say that he does not exist, but I do know 
that he is a very rare animal. I quite agree that 
diary keeping is one of the most important points in 
a gardener’s training, and I would like all head 
gardeners to try and induce their assistants to 
regularly write down all the different gardening 
operations as they occur. I am afraid, Mr. Editor, 
that I am stretching your endurance to the breaking 
point, so will now desist for the present, and would 
ask some of the older gardeners to give their 
experiences .—C Blair, Binny, Uphall. 
BUCCLEUCH NURSERIES, HAWICK. 
(Concluded from p. 349 .) 
The Montbretias seem to do well in the cool, moist 
climate of the north, as the foliage is not liable to 
get burnt up, and is therefore able to support 
flowers. A collection of named varieties is grown. 
Kniphofiis were making a tvave display. The hybrid 
Mexican Lobelias were represented by numerous 
named varieties. One of the very best was Carmine 
Gem, with its pleasing, rosy-carmine fl -wers. The 
fohage of D stinction is aim >st black, matching the 
crimson and purple shaded flowers. Very fine is the 
intense fiery scarlet of Lord Ardilaun. Very distinct 
in habit is Orion, the stems of which branch exces¬ 
sively and bear flowers on all the branches at the 
same time. The foliage is bronzy-green and serves 
to show off the crimson-scarlet flowers better than 
dark leaves would. Being only 18 in. high and very 
floriferous it would make an excellent bedder. 
Purple Emperor has blue-purple flowers. The 
typical Lobelia syphilitica has blue flowers; while 
those of L. s. alba are white, and L. s. rosea, bright 
rose with a white eye. 
East Lothian Stocks were never finer than they 
were last autumn in all the leading and best colours. 
They had been a mass of flowers from the beginning 
of July to the end of September. The finest spikes 
were 12 in. to 15 in. long. As 85 to 90 per cent, of 
them turned out double, the difficulty is to get 
single flowered plants for seed. The varieties in the 
collection were white, scarlet, rose, purple, crimson, 
white-wallflower-leaved and crimson-wallflower¬ 
leaved. 
Pentstemons. 
Close on 200 varieties of Pentstemons are grown and 
all are up to date. A fine plantation of seedlings is 
raised every year from the best varieties, and very 
fine they were, with large and wide flowers of good 
colour, and being later than the named varieiies, 
were still at their best. Amongst the named ones, 
very fine were the crimson flowers of Andrew, with 
a large and open white throat. Port Royal was rich 
rose, with a white throat and margin. President 
Kruger was crimson-red with a white throat. Paul 
Cambon, huge, bell-shaped flowers, purple outside 
and white inside. The rosy-scarlet flowers of Mrs. 
Oliver have a crimson zone in the throat, and are 
paler below that. The flowers are produced in very 
long spikes. A First-class Certificate was awarded 
this at Glasgow last year. The nearest approach to 
a white variety was that named Lady Love, which 
exhibited only a faint pink tint on the outside. 
Peter Readman is another pale variety, being tinged 
with rose externally, and the spikes were 20 in. long, 
the flowers not being all expanded even at that late 
period. Froelich is purple-crimson with a chocolate 
blotch in the throat. The very large flowers of 
James McGee were of a beautiful rosy-scarlet. A 
bright and beautifully marked variety was that named 
William Bain, having rosy-scarlet flowers and a 
chocolate zone in the throat. Sir Trevor Lawrence 
was brilliant rosy-crimson, whilst the throat was 
bordered with carmine. 
Cactus Dahlias. 
Dahlias are so important in gardens all over the 
land that not even here can they be neglected. The 
Cactus Dahlia, the most recently developed race, is 
kept well up to date by adding the new ones. We 
shall confine our remarks to those propagated and 
issued to the public from the Buccleuch Nurseries 
last year. Of good form and habit is Mrs. J. J. 
Crowe, of a clear canary yellow. Golden Plover is 
golden-yellow and throws the flowers well above the 
foliage. The long, deep cerise petals of Cornucopia 
are very handsome. Others that will appeal to the 
lovers of this class of plaDts. are Emperor, plum 
purple, fading to yellow at the base; Innovation, 
rich crimson in the centre passing to pure white; 
Lodestone, orange-scarlet with long, pointed petals ; 
Loyalty, warm coiral-red; Progenitor, crimson-lake 
and having the florets curiously fringed at the tip ; 
Exhibitor, soft pink, shaded with cinnamon; Fear¬ 
nought, lively carmine with incurved florets ; Mrs. 
Carter Page, rich velvety-crimson ; Red Rover, 
intense crimson-scarlet, and carrying its flowers well 
above the foliage on long stalks ; Wisdom, rosy-piuk 
and fringed ; and Zephyr, deep rosy-pink and 
variously shaded with other colours. Green's White, 
Up-to-Date and Mayor Tuppeney, and A. J. C. Hare 
are also in the collection. Rocket is a deep velvety- 
crimson variety with very small, freely produced 
flowers, and is therefore classed amongst the 
pompons 
Border Carnations. 
No other class of hardy florists’ flowers perhaps is 
more strongly represented by named varieties in 
these nurseries than Carnations, the border varieties 
being by far the most numerous. New ones for last 
year included Mrs. Jas. Arthur, white, edged and 
flaked rosy-scarlet; Teviotdale, finely pencilled with 
rosy-scarlet on a white ground ; and Acquisition, a 
dark crimson of refined form and flowering very freely 
From amongst the older ones we make a selection. 
Brocklin is a yellow ground Picotee, with a heavy 
purple edge. A continuous bloomer is Colonel Hope, 
faked with crimson-scarlet on a buff ground. Mrs, 
C. W.Townley is very double and flaked with crimson 
on a white ground. A strong growing variety is Mrs. 
Oliver, white, flaked crimson. Oce of the most 
choice and refined is the pure white Mrs. Eric Ham- 
bro. A yellow ground Picotee is Mrs. J. M. Troup, 
flaked crimson. Mrs. A. Tate belongs to the same 
class, but is heavily edged with red. In our opinion 
Mr. Nigel is one of the most handsome of the 
yellow ground Carnations on account of its well 
defined, heavy, crimson edge. Voltaire is also 
yellow but edged with rose. Another of the first 
water is Triumph, the creamy-yellow ground being 
edged with maroon, while the form is refined. 
Self-coloured varieties are plentiful in the collec¬ 
tion, and one of the finest of them is Scarlet Gem, 
the flowers being large, vivid scarlet, and of the 
finest form. Equally fine in its way is Ella Brander, 
whose rosy-salmon flowers are of refined form and 
freely produced. In the same category we place 
Lady Binning, of an intense scarlet colour and fine 
form. Miss Ellen Terry is pure white, chaste, and 
fine. Other seifs are plentiful. 
The flaked and edged varieties are, however, the 
most numerous. A good ODe is John Forbes, of a 
rich canary-yellow, heavily edged with rosy-scarlet. 
Golden Eagle is yellow and lined with red. Nedda 
is white marked with bright red. Primrose League 
is a large and smooth flower edged and splashed 
with red, and of excellent quality. A very striking, 
fancy flower is Professor Gerts, boldly flaked with 
steel blue and scarlet, and one of the finest in 
form. 
—— «e» 
Tree Cabbages, 10 ft. high, are produced in the 
island of Jersey, and grown in cottage gardens there 
as fences. The stems are often used as walking- 
canes. 
