394 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
May 13, 19C5. 
the profession who has both logical and common-sense ideas on 
such an important subject as this? What a. treasure for the 
B.G. A.! How many gardeners show mere, interest in the appren¬ 
tices than their garden-boys when the “ premium ” is being 
handed over ? 1 believe in an apprenticeship, but no money 
transaction. There is quite enough avarice in the profession, 
which is entirely due to gardeners under-pricing their labour 
in the past. From my experience, apprentices, who as a rule 
are put under glass, get little encouragement from the foreman 
or head ; whereas the garden-boys are put in the kitchen or 
fruit gardens, where the labourers will answer a lad’s ques¬ 
tions sincerely. The apprentices'-are more often “cowed ” by 
the bumptious foreman. I am sorry to say I have known lads 
ill-treated in a bothy. Small* wonder some turn out very in¬ 
different. and are quite ready to change their occupation. Ours 
is a grand profession. Let us see that we do our part to have 
it respected. I would like to instil into younger minds the 
wisdom of educating themselves in all ways to qualify them¬ 
selves to become an M.B.G.A. It is surprising how ignorant 
some in the profession are. After twelve months there are 
many gardeners to-day who are unaware that there is such a 
movement for their betterment as the British Gardeners’ 
Association. A. J. H. 
To the Editor of The Gardening World. 
Sir,—I have to once more crave your indulgence for a little 
space in which to answer our friend “ Heather Bell,” who is 
working himself into a fever on this subject. I am glad to. 
learn that lie is receiving “ delight" in perusing my epistles; 
I cannot, I am sorry to say, return the compliment, but I 
confess to getting a considerable amount, of amusement. He 
says that there is only one point in the discussion, and that it 
cannot be divided into “ parts.” This is of course very con¬ 
venient, no doubt, but as I was not addressing my remarks on 
the other “ parts ” of the subject to him, but to other gentlemen 
who are interested in the whole subject, he does not require 
to distress himself. 
“ H. B.” is by no means happy in his choosing of facts to 
bolster up his arguments. He. tells us that recently in one 
establishment he saw a dozen garden-boys, who are doing won¬ 
derful work, and who, after a fair trial, are discharged if not 
satisfactory. 
Does he not see that by such methods tire profession is get¬ 
ting overstocked with half-trained, irresponsible men, whereas, 
had the apprenticeship principle been followed in this case, 
much more care would have to be exercised in choosing only 
suitable lads, and when their three years’ time was up, they 
could then claim to have had a thorough grounding in the pro¬ 
fession. Under the slipshod method advocated by “ H. B.,” a 
boy may be only a year in a place, or he may be six or more; 
any trifle may terminate his engagement at any moment, with 
the inevitable result of all uncertain employment—little in¬ 
terest in the work. No, “ H. B.,” I have a much greater regard 
for my profession than to< relegate it to the ranks of unskilled 
labour. Why, all the highest professions in the country are 
governed by the apprenticeship principle. Doctors, lawyers, 
and all civil servants have to- serve an apprenticeship, so- why 
“ H. B.” would place our own noble profession in a lower posi¬ 
tion than other skilled professions, I do not pretend to- know. 
C. Blair. 
Corydalis nobilis. 
Strong and stout, yet not inelegant, this plant makes a good 
show when planted several in a. group on the rockery or in the 
border. Its foliage is succulent and of fresh tints, finely cut 
and veined as a Fem, covering a go-o-d space, and giving a well- 
fumished appearance to the spot it occupies. The flowers also 
are freely produced, of nice size and clear yellow, slightly 
tipped with green. May is, broadly speaking, its flowering 
month, but being a plant that is easily excited, no difficulty is 
experienced in getting it into flower earlier. Being a native 
of Siberia, there is little fear of its suffering harm during 
winter in any part of o-ur land. Heather Bell. 
A Peculiar Parent. 
It has been said that: —- 
“ Hybridising is a game of chance 
Played between man and plants.” 
This may have been true at the time when it was first 
uttered, but it could hardly be said to be true at the present 
time. The modern hybridist does not work in a haphazard 
way, but. has in his mind a definite object before operating, 
selecting those plants for crossing which are most likely to 
ensure the results he desires. I remember reading in Pro¬ 
fessor Bailey’s interesting work on “ Plant Breeding,” a report 
of some experiments carried out. by Professor Fo-cke on Begonia 
Froebelii and its hybrids. It was stated that there exists a 
great tendency in the hybrids of B. Froebelii to drop their male 
flowers when in the bud state. 
Such being the case, it would, of course, be useless to use 
the said species for hybridising. At that time, however, I felt 
very much inclined to doubt the truth of such a statement, 
for B. incomparabilis was then flowering freely and was ex¬ 
hibited at the R.H.S. on more than one occasion ; the parents 
of B. x incomparabilis being polypetala and Froebelii. B. 
incomparabilis is a well-known winter-flowering hybrid, the 
flowers, which are scarlet, are borne well above the foliage, 
and it may well be described as a nobledooking variety. 
Originated in Ireland, it. greatly resembles its parent Froebelii, 
and, like- the parent it. seeds freely. B. incomparabilis does 
not retain its male flowers very long, but, contrary to the Pro¬ 
fessor's experience, the flowers fully expand and perform their 
work in the reproduction of the plant. 
Such a statement as that referred to- was not made without 
good reason, for I have noticed that when either the species 
Froebelii or the hybrid incomparabilis has been used for cross¬ 
ing, the- plants invariably have a tendency to- drop their male 
flowers- in the bud state. B. incomparabilis x B. Pearcei 
produced orange-red flowers; the buds of the male flowers 
dropped quite early, and the female flowers dropped s-o-o-n after 
expanding. 
Similar results were obtained by crossing a yellow tuberous 
variety and Fro-ebelii, the flowers of which were salmon-red. 
When incomparabilis was crossed with yellow tuberous varie¬ 
ties, all the flowers dropped quite- in the bud state. B. Froe¬ 
belii co-uld not be- induced to- cross with either B. socotrana or 
B. fuclisioide-s, and with the- exception of B. incomparabilis, I 
do- not think that any good has come by using Froebelii as a 
parent. It is, indeed, a. peculiar parent, which, as it were, 
takes a. delight in beheading its offspring. 
Herbert Cowley. 
The Southern Heath (Erica australis). 
This is one of the rarest of the hardy Heaths, and although 
the name is frequently met with, it is often not the true plant. 
At Kew a. number of specimens of the- true E. australis are 
in blossom, and its distinctive characters are readily seen. It 
is of loose habit, making a few long branches, 3 ft. or so 
long, which are inclined to branch more freely on the upper 
than on the lower halves. The leaves are about a quarter of an 
inch long and very deep green ; the flowers are red and usually 
borne in fours, each flower being from ^ to of 
an inch in length. The flowering time commences 
in early April and continues to mid-June. Its native 
country being Spain and Portugal, it will naturally 
be assumed that it- is not one of the hardiest species, 
and this is so-; for, although an ordinary winter does 
not affect it, one of more than average severity is almost bound 
to prove fatal if some protectii n is not given. At Kew it lias 
been grown outside for the last seven or eight years without 
injury. In the event of a continued spell of frost, setting in. a 
few dry leaves are placed about the base of each plant, and a 
few drv Aster tops -or a little- hay is sprinkled among the 
branches. When mature it is said to be six or seven feet high ; 
the largest at Kew -are three feet in height, with five or six 
main branches. , W. D. 
