THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
445 
WOMEN AS GARDENERS 
The Women’s Agricultural and Horticultural International 
Union held its exhibition and sale of farm and garden produce, 
etc., at the Royal Horticultural Hall, Vincent Square, West- 
^minster, on October 23. Whether the show was a success 
from a business point of view we do not know, but, judging 
with all leniency with regard to the circumstances under which 
the show was held, it cannot be said to have been a success 
from a horticultural point of view. 
Just why this should be so it is most difficult to ascertain. 
The fact remains that, generally speaking, the garden produce 
was of third rate quality, and was thrown together on the 
stages without the smallest regard to the most elementary 
principles of the decorator’s art. We do not wish to criticise 
harshly, and certainly not unjustifiably. It is because we 
believe that with a little more trouble, a little more sincerity 
and belief in the ideal this union has set itself to attain, the 
woman horticulturist and her cousin the woman agriculturist 
would soon be lifted to the plane of efficiency held by men in 
this particular pursuit. Why cannot women grow equally 
with men fine fruits, flowers and vegetables? Why should 
the gentler sex be content with abominable clashings of 
colors and inharmonious arrangement of groups of flowers 
and foliage? The male gardener would move heaven and 
earth, so to speak, to make his exhibit worthy of a place in 
the show. Surely there is no reason whatever. It is only a 
question of perseverance and the necessary experience, that is 
all. 
This, then, is the task the now numerous colleges and 
horticultural institutions must set about to accomplish. 
There is, we believe, ample room in the horticultural world 
for women, but there is no space for the incompetent and the 
make-believer. There is no half-way house; it is a case of 
“get on or get out.’’ The exhibits at this event, except in a 
few instances, were not such as would inspire other women 
to take to gardening, but we refuse to believe that women 
gardeners of the true type are as incapable of doing first-class 
work .—Journal of Horticulture. 
TEACHING THE CHILDREN TO LOVE THE TREES 
The New York State College of Forestry at Syracuse 
University, designated and established by the Legisalture for 
educational work in Forestry in New York, has sent a letter 
to the Principals of all the High and Preparatory Schools of 
the State offering to give illustrated lectures and demonstra¬ 
tions upon Forestry before the schools so that every child 
in the State may understand what Forestry is and may learn 
to love the trees and forests. 
THE NURSERY EMPLOYEE 
There is no questioning the fact that the skilled employee 
in the nursery business is becoming scarcer every year. 
Everywhere during the planting and shipping season the cry 
of the foreman is heard “If I only had some men to rely on; 
someone who can do the work without being watched all the 
time,’’ but he has them not and so wears his life out in an 
effort to be at several places at one time, or puts an inex¬ 
perienced man in charge and takes attendant losses as some¬ 
thing which cannot be helped. 
Thousands of dollars worth of stock is lost evcr\^ year for 
lack of men who know what they are doing; who have studied 
the necessities of the plants which they are handling; and 
there surely must be a reason for this lack. 
In most other trades employers have applicants waiting 
their turn to learn the business; not so in the nursery and 
why? Go out in the nursery and listen to the men who have 
spent years in the work, these men will give you the answer. 
To secure their knowledge they have spent long hard years of 
earnest labor, out in all kinds of weather, covered with mud 
and dirt, making longer hours than any other trade, rushed 
almost to death in the spring and fall, and only good behavior 
keeping them from a winter’s vacation—is it any wonder 
they are discouraged when they find their pay envelope the 
least of any of the trades and advise their friends and children 
to keep out of it ? 
In the vicinity of Philadelphia when a young man serves 
three years at plumbing he gets thirty cents and upwards an 
hour, carpenters get forty and fifty cents, so through all 
trades. 
After serving three years in a nursery, if a good worker, 
he may get fifteen cents and later if he improves may be raised 
to twenty cents. 
Some writers from the employers’ side of the question try 
to equalize the difference by telling the men they are nature’s 
helpers and should feel highly honored for the opportunity. 
This sentiment is alright but cannot be exchanged for food, 
nor even the beautiful trees and flowers which we help create. 
It is these conditions which cause the young man to select 
some other trade or profession. 
There are many boys and young men working in the nur¬ 
sery who work day in and day out without learning any more 
than their daily round of work. While this is due to the lack 
of ambition on their part, yet many of them could be aroused 
to effort by a little kindly interest and help from those over 
them. 
My own experience was that the employer was interested 
in me so far as he could get profit out of my labors at that 
time. The nursery and opportunity were there provided, 
I did it in my own time, but those that were in a position to 
encourage and instruct were too busy to show me what was 
necessary to get the most work out of me. 
What is needed at the present time is more inducements. 
Give the employee a standard of efficiency which he must 
reach, with the assurance that when he does reach it he will 
secure a wage which will compare with the other trades. Let 
the employer feel that it is to his interest and will pay in the 
long run, if he spends a little time and money teaching the 
young men and making the working conditions as pleasant 
and inviting as possible, making him feel that he is more than 
a common laborer; then and only then will the workers become 
efficient and much of the heavy loss due to careless handling 
will be done away with. It is far better to pay it to the men 
than to throw it to the winds. G. K. 
'One does not have to own a large fruit farm to enjoy 
excellent fruit of his own raising. No lot is too small for a 
few trees, and they will afford much pleasure. Connecticut 
Farmer. 
