292 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
April 8 ; 1905. 
with advantage be planted on the lawn where it is seen tO' the 
best effect. The large size, rich colour and bold appearance 
of the blooms all have a telling effect. As far as we have seen 
it is perfectly hardy, and those owners of gardens who add it to 
their collection all speak in high terms of its beauty and dis¬ 
tinctness. The flowers are freely and regularly produced at 
the end of the branches while still in quite a small state. 
We have no hesitation in recommending this Magnolia in 
places where IL conspicua gives satisfaction in the open. It 
is also' easily accommodated in pots, and if required for con¬ 
servatory work it could be placed in a warm house and very 
quickly brought into bloom, as early as March at least. Any 
good friable soil that is well drained will meet its requirements, 
and if planted on a lawn is well worthy of a little trouble in 
preparing a place for it, giving some fresh soil if necessary to 
encourage the roots to' make a fresh start in their new position. 
Bouvardias. i 
White flowers are always in great demand at all times of 
the year, but more especially during the winter and early 
spring, and to my mind no plants can furnish a more accept- 
able supply than Bouvardias. I take the cuttings about the 
middle of April from the old plants that have been cut back 
after flowering; they will strike very freely if a brisk moist 
heat is kept up. When rooted they should be potted in small 
60’s, using a compost of two parts of fibrous loam and one of 
leaf-mould, with a little silver sand. The shoots should be care¬ 
fully stopped in order to have good-shaped plants. After they 
are well established they should be moved to a cooler place 
and given more air. W hen they have 1 grown to 1 small, compact 
plants put them in a cold pit or frame, and pot them in larger 
sizes as they need it. Stopping should be discontinued by 
by the end of July, or sooner if the flowers are required early. 
At the time the stopping is discontinued the plants should be 
introduced into heat, about 60 to 65 deg. ; if not kept at that 
heat they do not bloom so freely. After the blooming season 
is over the plants ought to be cut well back, and treat them the 
same as the preceding year. For bouquets and wreaths no 
flowers are more serviceable than Bouvardias. I have tried 
different ways in growing them, but the above mode is the 
easiest and surest to my mind. W. J. Welch. 
Braekland Gardens. 
Hepatica triloba alba plena. 
The double white Hepatica is truly a gem among spring 
flowers, which, when more plentiful, cannot fail to be¬ 
come widely distributed among the gardens of this country. 
Several years ago. the plant was in the possession of one or 
two growers, but unfortunately was lost before any quantity 
had been propagated. Consequently but few saw it, and many 
people refused to believe that the plant ever existed. 
It was found, however, growing wild on the Continent a 
year or two back, and from the one plant taken by its dis¬ 
coverer a fair number have been obtained, and it is now to be 
seen in several nurseries in various parts of the country, so 
that we hope it will not again disappear from our midst. 
The main object thus far with those who possess it has, of 
course, been to increase the number of plants as rapidly as 
possible, so that no strong clumps are yet to be seen. We 
hope, however, that the plant’s constitution will not be allowed 
to suffer from too' rapid propagation, for it will only be with 
good, sturdy clumps that the full charm of the double white 
flowers can be demonstrated, although we have seen even 
single crowns producing flowers of large sizev very double, and 
of pearly whiteness. We believe and hope that in time both 
double and single Hepaticas will be produced in many more 
pleasing shades than we at present possess. 
Heather Bell, 
Letters to the Editor. 
To be, or not to be, Apprenticed to Horticulture ? 
To the Editor of The Gardening World. 
Sir,—Recently you have given much space to this often re¬ 
curring question. Although I generally run my eye over them 
seldom do I take my pen on the subject. But I am induced to 
do' SO' this time to point out to many of those who are keen on 
men being apprenticed that they have not yet shown how this 
is to be accomplished in many private gardens. Nor have they 
made it clear that men are better cultivators or more able 
men that have been than those that, have not, 
I am convinced that could a census be taken of gardeners 
(private), many of the best men would not be able to show 
their indentures of apprenticeship. When these two things 
are shown, then I for one have learnt something fresh out of 
the discussion. 
I can go back more than thirty years, when the same thing 
was discussed in one of the few leading weeklies; few they 
were then compared to now, Sir; yours had not seen the light 
then, and although both sides were threshed out, still it did 
not stop the birth of the non-apprenticed man. 
When an evil exists what is wanted is a remedy. Will the 
B.G.A. cure this supposed evil? Some writers talk as if private 
gardeners had the matter in their hands, forgetting that in 
many instances these have to get the work done as cheaply as 
they can, and would not be allowed to take a penny from any 
youth. Would a man be wise to give up his place unless he 
could ? 
When these, men take a boy into the garden, can they bind 
him if he is a sharp youth? Evidently when this youth left 
this garden the light lie had could not be knocked out of him. 
I am convinced talent is like cork on water—hard to- keep out 
of sight, and when he leaves this garden how is he to be shut 
out of the fold? Evidently some would make a fold and not 
allow anyone to come in, except by the door they consider the 
right one. Now I fail to see how this is to be adopted in the 
present state of many private gardens. Undoubtedly there 
are many weeds in our craft, and although I have' served under 
and know many men that have, and those that have not, been 
apprenticed, I should be sorry to censure the whole of either 
side. 
At the present state of things, I should regret to' see: a hedge 
made so that any boy with a love for our calling should be shut 
out because he was from poor parents that could not afford to 
pay. Let us have broad minds and hearts and rejoice in 
seeing the best men rise. J. C. F. Chard. 
To the Editor of The Gardening World. 
Sir,—Being a foreman, I should like to- endorse Mr. Blair’s 
statement re apprentices and garden boys. Now, I have had 
experience with both kinds. Garden boys, as a rule, are the 
laziest lot ; apprentices will do what you tell them, whereas 
the other will do as he likes. It is all very nice running 
down foremen and such-like men who have these boys under 
their control ; but you must, remember that the garden boy 
can leave you on a week’s notice, whereas, as a. rule, the 
apprentice is bound to. serve his time at a progressive salary, 
so cannot leave or be sacked at once. 
Of the matter of premiums, I think myself it would be a 
piece of folly, as anyone will take a likely lad at a small wage 
to learn the trade, and it cannot be blamed on the older hands 
if the lad will not do. as he is bidden to do, although he is very 
useful in his way for several classes of work, such as water¬ 
ing, fires, etc. I further would suggest to the B.G.A. that they 
would make a distinction between a man who is in a nursery 
and the man who' is in a private place. Take a man from 
private work and place him over a nursery. He knows as 
much about his work (unless he has had previous experience 
i'n the nursery) as a babe in arms, whereas a. man in the 
nursery learns both private and public work, and I would 
