March 18, 1905. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
■m 
Letters to the Editor. 
To be, or not to be, Apprenticed to Horticulture ? 
To the Editor of The Gardening World. 
_Having read Mr. J. P. Dickson’s letter in last week’s 
issue on the above subject, I should like to ask Mr. Dickson 
the following questions. If I understand rightly, he does not 
think it right for anyone who has not served an apprenticeship 
to enter the profession. 
What would Mr. Dickson do in the case of a poor working 
until who has a son who wishes to take up gardening but has 
not sufficient funds to pay for his apprenticeship; or in the 
ease of a widow who finds it hard enough to make both ends 
meet without any talk of apprenticeship with a son whose 
delight is gardening? Would he debar these youths from 
entering the profession because they are not sufficiently rich 
to pay for their apprenticeship? 
Poes Mr. Dickson think that a boy who enters a garden as 
odd boy, and if given a chance, especially if Tie takes ail in¬ 
terest in his work, will not make quite as efficient a gardener 
as another who has served his apprenticeship to the profession ? 
I nivself think he would be quite as good in all points if the 
mudener under whom lie worked would give him fair play, 
and not forget, as some so often do, that they were once boys 
themselves. 
As regards the British Gardeners’ Association (with which I 
quite agree), I think everyone should enter on his merits, and 
not because he has served his apprenticeship ; then I think we 
should raise the standard of gardeners. It is all very w T eIl for 
Air. Dickson to talk of examinations, but it is practical men 
that are wanted at the present time, not theoretical. 
Fair Plat. 
To the Editor of The Gardening World. 
Sir,—I was very much interested in the discussion regard¬ 
ing the apprenticeship of youths to horticulture which ap¬ 
peared in The Gardening World of March 4th; and I can 
heartily emphasise what has been said. No doubt- but things 
have long been in a frightful state. Personally, I was fraudu¬ 
lently dealt with when I started to learn gardening, and I 
believe many of my gardening brothers were equally unfor¬ 
tunate ; but I am thankful to learn that there is a life-boat 
launched and warm hearts and strong arms coming to the 
rescue. They have many things to aright; one thing is the 
rough treatment that an apprentice receives from the hands 
of evil-hearted, unmanly journeymen when he arrives at his 
new home “ the bothy.” Why should they insist upon drag¬ 
ging an apprentice into a “ pub.,” and if he has had a good 
training from his parents why should they try to knock it 
out. of him, and why should they wish him just to do as they 
do and bring him down to their level of living, are all ques¬ 
tions which can be dealt with by the B.G.A. 
I was recently told of an apprentice who was trained on this 
downward course, and can now come home more intoxicated 
than, perhaps, those who- persuaded him and who are respon¬ 
sible for his training- in gardening. 
I would now endeavour to suggest some opinions I hold 
about the teaching of an apprentice. Firstly, he should be as 
healthy as a soldier, age sixteen, serve three years at least, 
and during that time should get lessons in almost everything 
in the place, resulting in his being an all round journeyman. 
Secondly, he should be encouraged to study the scientific side 
as well as the practical, and test himself at some examination. 
There might also be a practical examination, such as plumbers 
have ; for it is just as easy to be scientific and not practical as 
it is to be vice versa. Thirdly, those over him should recog¬ 
nise their responsibility regarding him ; for it is their place to 
instruct him. Fourthly, he should be willing to learn and 
careful not to try to teach those above him. I think I have 
said enough, but there is room for many more suggestions, as 
Ihe subject is by no means exhausted. It should be taken up 
by those who have any interest in the welfare of our rising 
army of horticulturists. There is no doubt but that our pro¬ 
fession is a high one, although the ladder is a long one with 
many hardships between the rungs. 
I trust that some of the objects of the B.G.A. will be to 
protect the apprentice ; to help to raise the journeyman’s pay; 
and to protest against the employment of apprentices in un¬ 
worthy gardens. For example, place two journeymen of about 
equal intelligence; but say journeyman A has just come from 
the place where he served his time, where a good staff was kept 
and everything up to date ; journeyman B has just come from 
his place like A, but where the circumstances were contrary, 
where methods were old-fashioned, money scarce, and, per¬ 
haps, just a labourer who kept him ever down, and the boss 
likewise. B I can pity. He now realises his weakness, and 
how he has wasted his years in his own ignorance. He now 
has practically to serve his time over again. His mates will 
Bamoxdia szebica Nataliae : Flowers blue-purple. 
(See p. 219.) 
wink at how lie goes about his work, holds his spade, etc.; 
sometimes he will be downhearted. Humility. 
To the Editor of The Gardening World. 
Sir,—Judging by the letters that appeared in the issues of 
March 4th and 11th, the desire of gardeners is to erect a fence 
around our profession, and to allow admittance to the enclosure 
to ticket-holders only, for each writer considers it necessarv 
that members of the British Gardeners’ Association shall have 
served apprenticeship, the ticket of admission to the private 
circle being their indentures. Mr. James P. Dickson, however, 
agrees with me that many a “ crock-boy and pot-waslier ” has 
made a better gardener than some who have been apprenticed. 
I note also that while Mr. Dickson approves of taking into 
consideration the necessity of an apprenticeship, he considers 
it necessary that candidates for membership of the B.G.A. 
shall pass an examination in horticulture. Here I quite agree 
with Mr. Dickson, provided it shall be a practical examination 
in practical horticulture—not a mere paper examination. I 
contend, however, that all who can pass such examination 
should be accepted whether they have been apprenticed or not. 
for I fail to see by what right a society for gardeners shall 
