208 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
March 11, 1905. 
success. Sir, this is a subject which might be largely dis¬ 
cussed, and I for oue thank Mr. Wharton for opening it. 
Mum. 
—o— 
To be, or not to be, Apprenticed to Horticulture ? 
To the Editor of The Gardening World. 
Sir,—I notice your correspondent “ Heather Bell ” holding 
forth on this subject in a late issue. I am afraid that but 
few of us will be able to follow his logic and agree with his 
ideas. Of course, I would never for one moment believe that 
every lad that served a regular apprenticeship would turn out 
a gardener. I use the word gardener in its true meaning. 
Neither, for that matter, will every man who goes through 
the prescribed curriculum turn out a doctor. Yet, would 
anyone ever think of doing away with the medical or surgical 
courses at our hospitals; and yet this is really the doctor's 
term of apprenticeship. Of course, “ Heather Bell ” may 
urge that gardening is an altogether simpler profession. 
That, of course, is so in a general sense, but, all the same, if 
in either case we are not properly grounded from the be¬ 
ginning, we run but a poor chance of really mastering our 
business. 
Let me tell “ Heather Bell ” that the amount the average 
garden boy will pick up, no matter how smart he may be, is 
a very infinitesimal trifle. On the other hand, the appren¬ 
tice, as we cultivate him in Scotland, has to lend a hand at 
everything; and no one can deny that the act of doing any 
work is much better preparation than the mere seeing it 
done by others. I guess a good many of “ Heather Bell’s ” 
Scottish readers would grin with amusement when he describes 
the apprentice thus:—“Too often the apprentice considers 
lie has a right of exemption from all menial and laborious 
tasks, and must only be put to the lighter and pleasant work.” 
I have had considerable experience with apprentices, and I 
must say I have never, so far, come across that brand. I 
have also had to do with garden boys, and in most cases these 
were a confounded nuisance. 
At the same time I must say that the worst sort of garden 
help is the ambitious labourer. In about three months this 
genius (?) knows more than the combined staff, and at the 
end of a year or two his lowest estimate of his own abilities 
is that he is fit for a head-gardener’s place where half a dozen 
are employed. Of course, he often lands as man-of-all-work 
to a parson. That, however, is his bad luck, not his merits. 
I would like, while on this subject, if someone would explain 
fully how the British Gardeners’ Association propose to deter¬ 
mine when a. man is a qualified gardener. If memory selves 
me right, seven years employment in a garden qualifies a 
man for enrolment. This has a funny look, and I await, 
explanations. _ ‘ c. Blair. 
Crocus hermoneus. 
Eor many years this species was only known from its conns, 
leaves and seed vessel. It was described by Kotschy from 
those scanty materials, but he and others who had seen these " 
materials said it could not be confused with any other known 
Crocus from Syria. Quite recently, however, conns have been 
grown and flowered at Kew. It was originally supposed to’ lie 
a spring-flowering species, but at Kew it blooms in October 
and November. 
The flowers are of a pale lilac, fading to white at the base, 
and some individuals have almost pure white' flowers. The 
segments are spathulate, 1 in. to 1-] in. long, while the anthers 
are golden-yellow, and twice as long as the filaments. The 
style-arms have very few divisions, but just sufficient to show 
that it belongs to the section Schizostigma. The species, 
although not very showy, has flowers of sufficient size to make 
a valuable addition to autumn-flowering species. The interest- 
ing point about it topographically is. that it comes from the 
top of Mount Hermon, in Palestine, where it grows at an eleva¬ 
tion of 9,000 ft. at the foot of the melting snow. This moun¬ 
tain is therefore a very conspicuous one, and is frequently 
mentioned in Scripture. 
Obituary. 
Mr. James Epps. 
We regret to record the death of Mr. James Epps, juu., of 
Norfolk House, Beulah Hill, South Norwood Hill, on the 20th 
ult, at Jamaica, West Indies. He had gone there previous to 
Christmas for the purpose of visiting his Cacao estates and tc 
recruit his health. On his way thither he visited Trinidad, 
and had lie lived was to leave Jamaica on the 7th inst. on the 
return journey home. He. was an ardent lover and patron of 
horticulture, and took considerable interest in the rearing of 
economic plants. He had grown and fruited the Cacao tree 
in his conservatories at Beulah Hill. 
He was vice-president for a number of years of the local 
Chrysanthemum society, and had won several medals and cer¬ 
tificates. He was also the donor of a silver cup for amateurs 
for a number of years past. He was a Fellow of-the Linnean 
Society and member of the Royal Horticultural Society. He 
also' had been president of the Croydon Natural Histoiy and 
Scientific Society for two years. His demise is therefore very 
much regretted in horticultural circles and in his own neigh¬ 
bourhood particularly. 
British Gardeners' Association. 
At a committee meeting held on March 3rd it was decided 
that, 500 gardeners having joined the association, the election of 
the executive council should be proceeded with. The council 
will consist of twelve members wlio live within easy reach uf 
London, and a representative of every branch with not less than 
fifty members. To enable all to take part in the election of the 
twelve, a list of those who are willing to serve on the council 
will be posted to every member, who will be invited to mark the 
names of those he prefers, and the twelve wdio obtain the hignest 
number of marks will be considered elected. This arrangement 
appears to be the only workable one that would give satisfaction. 
The selection of candidates will be representative of all sections 
of gardening, but the majority will be gardeners employed in 
private establishments. 
Gardeners who have not already joined the association are 
urged to do so at once, and thus secure the right to take part in 
the election of the first executive council. 
Candidates for membership are requested to apply to the 
secretary of a branch, should there be one near, but those 
who prefer it may apply direct to headquarters. The expenses 
of public meetings held in different parts of the country are, as 
a rule, provided locally, the fund for the promotion of the move¬ 
ment being too small to do more than help to pay the delegates’ 
expenses. The committee would be thankful for further help in 
the shape of donations to the expenses fund. 
It was also decided to secure an office in London and to engage 
a permanent secretary as soon as possible. 
Up to February 28th the membership was 504. Of this numbei 
211 are head gardeners, 26 single-handed gardeners, 183 journey¬ 
man gardeners, and 80 various. These are distributed : South 
of England, 271 ; North of England, 91 ; Scotland, 42 ; Wales,, 
78 ; Ireland, 12 ; Colonies, 6. 
Meetings have been held in gardening centres, including Bir¬ 
mingham, Leeds, Sunderland, Plymouth, Exeter, Bournemouth, 
Reigate, Swansea, Cardiff, Altrincham, etc. Branches have 
been established in seventeen districts. Suggestions for hold¬ 
ing public meetings from gardeners who are willing to help will 
be gladly received by the secretary. 
Statement of Accounts. 
Receipts. 
£ 
s. 
d. 
Entrance fees and subscriptions 
... 126 
0 
0 
Donations to expenses fund 
... 65 
6 
6 
Expenditure. 
£191 
6 
6 
Printing, stationery, postage 
... 37 
15 
0 
Expenses of meetings ... - 
... 14 
10 
0 
Sundries ... ... 
0 
11 
11 
£52 
.16 
11 
Deposited with bankers 
... 138 
0 
0 
Cash in hand ... 
0 
9 
7 
£138 
9 
7 
Donations promised ... ,.. 
... 81 
0 
0 
W. Watson, Secretary pro tern. 
