Januaiy  25,  1900. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
79 
APPLE  STANWAY  SEEDLING. 
The  new  Apples  that  were  shown  before  the  Fruit  and  Vegetable 
Committee  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  during  1899,  and  which 
were  recommended  for  the  award  of  merit,  were  exceptionally 
numerous.  At  several  successive  meetings  varieties  were  honoured 
in  the  direction  indicated,  and  one — Chas.  Ross — was  considered  so 
meritorious  as  to  be  deserving  of  a  first-class  certificate.  The  last 
variety  to  receive  an  award  of  merit  was  Stanway  Seedling  (fig.  17)) 
which  was  exhibited  on  December  19th,  1899,  by  Mr.  T.  Kettle  of 
Colchester.  As  our  illustration  clearly  shows,  this  Apple,  which  is 
decidedly  over  medium  size,  is  of  handsome  conical  form,  tapering 
towards  the  apex,  and  of  uniform  clear  yellow  colour  except  in  the 
cavity  of  the  stalk  which  is  bright  green.  The  eye  is  small  and 
closed,  and  is  set  on  one  side  of  the  axis.  The  tube  is  conical,  and 
the  stamens  median.  The  stalk  is  very  short  and  deeply  inserted  in 
a  cavity  w'hich  has  a  small,  fleshy  protuberance  on  one  side.  Stanway 
Seedling  is  a  culinary  Apple  of  much  promise  for  use  at  Christmas. 
HORTICULTURAL  EXAMINATIONS. 
In  considering  the  examinations  in  their  more  general  application, 
it  may  not  be  possible  to  formulate  an  opinion  so  readily  as  in  the  two 
cases  to  which  reference  has  been  made,  but  I  fear  there  will  be  some 
diflSculty  in  arriving  at  a  conclusion  other  than  to  the  effect  that  the 
results  have  fallen  short  of  expectations.  If  they  are  intended  to  show 
that  the  holder  of  a  certificate  is  well  qualified  to  undertake  the 
responsibility  of  a  garden  they  have  unquestionably  failed.  For  this 
purpose  the  certificate  of  the  first-class  is  of  little  service  to  the  holder. 
The  certificate  shows,  of  course,  that  the  holder  had  a  sufficient 
acquaintance  with  theoretical  matters  to  pass  the  examination  to  the 
satisfaction  of  the  examiners  ;  but  to  a  man  who  has  obtained  a 
position  in  the  garden,  a  distinction  which  can  be  obtained  by  a  youth 
or  a  girl  in  her  teens  can  be  of  little  if  any  use  to  him.  If  it  be  said 
that  the  examinations  are  only  intended  for  testing  the  knowledge  of 
many  people,  let  it  be  so  stated,  and  the  examinations  be  described 
as  elementary.  The  questions  are  by  no  means  of  an  elementary 
character,  and  it  passes  my  comprehension  how  a  youth  of  sixteen  or 
seventeen,  or  a  miss  in  her  teens,  should  obtain  nearly  full  marks  in 
dealing  with  such  a  paper  as  that  set  at  the  last  examination.  Sixteen 
questions  were  given,  and  of  these  one  half  had  to  be  answered  in  two 
and  a  half  hours.  I  have  selected  eight  as  fairly  representative  of  the 
paper,  and  these  are  as  follows  : — 
What  differences  exist  between  the  manner  and  places  where 
rootlets  arise  from  roots,  and  branches  from  stems  ?  Of  what  use  are 
branches,  and  what  trees  have  none  ? 
Give  any  instances  of  failures,  and  state  your  opinion  as  to  their 
causes,  in  crossing  distinct  species.  What  are  the  general  characteristics 
of  hybrids  ? 
Describe  the  flower  of  the  Pea,  of  a  Primrose,  of  a  Salvia,  and  of 
any  Orchid,  and  explain  how  they  are  adapted  to  insect  pollination. 
What  are  the  injurious  effects  of  (1)  too  much  water  j  of  (2)  too 
great  a  heat  ;  and  of  (3)  excessive  drought,  upon  plants  ? 
Is  it  possible  to  obtain  a  supply  of  Roses  all  the  year  round  from 
an  English  garden  ?  Describe  their  propagation  and  culture  under 
glass  and  in  the  open  ground. 
What  are  the  most  useful  fruit  trees*  to  grow  under  glass  ?  Describe 
the  best  form  of  glass  structure  for  the  purpose,  and  the  method  of 
culture. 
How  would  you  proceed  to  obtain  a  succession  of  garden  Peas  and 
Dwarf  Kidney  Beans  ?  Can  they  be  obtained  all  the  year  round  ?  If 
so,  how  ? 
What  is  the  best  aspect  for  a  flower  garden  ?  How  would  you 
proceed  to  lay  it  out  and  stock  it  ? 
To  answer  these  eight  questions  fully  and  accurately  in  the  time 
allotted  in  a  manner  to  justify  the  examiners  regarding  a  considerable 
number  of  the  papers  as  closely  approaching  perfection  indicates  a 
degree  of  ability  on  the  part  of  the  candidates  that  is  at  least 
surprising.  I  know  something  from  practical  experience  of  University 
and  other  examinations,  and  as  1  run  my  eye  down  the  paper  of 
questions  and  then  turn  to  the  class  list  I  cannot  restrain  a  feeling 
that  there  has  been  decided  liberality  in  assigning  the  marks. 
The  class  lists  show,  as  might,  of  course,  have  been  expected,  that 
those  w'ho  had  the  assistance  of  experienced  teachers  have  been  the 
most  successful.  In  other  words,  the  students  attending  the  va>ious 
colleges  and  schools  in  which  horticulture  is  taught  greatly  predomi¬ 
nate  in  the  first  class.  I  refer  to  this  point  for  the  purpose  of  stating 
that  in  the  preparation  of  candidates  the  experienced  teacher  will 
constantly  keep  in  view  those  points  which  are  likely  to  tell  in  dealing 
with  a  paper  of  questions,  rather  than  to  concentrating  his  attention 
upon  grounding  his  students  in  the  technicalities  of  the  art.  It  is,  I 
am  prepared  to  admit,  extremely  difficult  to  avoid  some  amount  of 
cramming  in  connection  with  horticultural  as  with  other  examinations, 
but  it  should,  as  far  as  possible,  be  discouraged.  If  we  are  to  improve 
the  educational  status  of  gardeners  we  must  teach  them  gardening 
rather  than  how  to  pass  examinations  in  gardening,  and  unless  we  do 
that  we  had  better  return  to  the  state  of  things  that  existed  before  the 
examinations  were  instituted. 
Much  might  be  accomplished  in  improving  the  existing  state  of 
things  were  we  to  more  clearly  understand  the  conditions  under  which 
gardeners  are  the  most  efficiently  trained.  T  am  not  prepared  to  say 
that  gardening  cannot  be  efficiently  taught  in  properly  equipped 
schools,  but  I  have  no  hesitation  in  stating  that  the  best  possible 
schools  for  the  training  of  young  gardeners  are  private  gardens  and 
nurseries.  In  these  the  young  gardener  not  only  obtains  a  training  in 
the  technicalities  of  the  art,  but  is  braced  up,  so  to  speak,  by  the 
influences  that  are  brought  to  bear  upon  him,  to  engage  with  greater 
efficiency  in  the  battle  of  life.  I  have  for  a  long  series  of  years  con¬ 
stantly  advised  gardeners  to  take  every  possible  advantage  of  their 
Fig.  17. — Apple  Stanway  Seedling. 
opportunities  for  the  acquisition  of  a  knowledge  of  principles  as  well  as 
practice.  I  have,  with  equal  persistency,  advocated  that  this  knowledge 
should  be  acquired  in  conjunction  with  practical  work.  In  my  opinion, 
therefore,  the  scheme  under  which  examinations  are  held  should  be  so 
framed  as  to  encourage  them  to  do  this. 
With  a  view  to  the  attainment  of  this  end  I  would  suggest  that  the 
scheme  should  recognise  three  distinct  grades  of  students,  and  include 
practical  work  in  two  of  them.  There  should  be  the  elementary 
examination,  which  might  be  conducted  on  much  the  same  lines  as 
now,  without  any  restriction  as  to  the  eligibility  of  candidates.  Then 
should  follow  the  advanced  eximinatiou  in  which  practical  work  should 
have  due  prominence,  and  for  this  those  only  should  be  eligible  who 
have  had  at  least  five  years’  experience  in  private,  public,  or  market 
gardens,  or  nurseries,  and  have  obtained  a  first-class  certificate  in  the 
elementary  examination.  Following  the  advanced  should  be  the 
honours  examination,  in  which  a  candidate  should,  in  addition  to  a 
paper  examination,  be  required  to  show  his  proficiency  in  practical 
work,  and  also  to  show  his  ability  in  giving  directions  to  the  garden 
labourers  for  carrying  out  the  details  of  garden  work.  Candidates  for 
this  examination  should  have  had  seven  years’  experience  in  gardens 
or  nurseries  or  in  both,  and  have  obtained  a  first-class  in  the  advanced 
stage. 
A  scheme  such  as  I  have  thus  briefly  sketched  would  require 
careful  preparation  and  involve  some  amount  of  difficulty  in  carrying 
it  out,  but  the  prospective  difficulty  does  not  appear  to  me  to  be  suffi¬ 
cient  to  deter  the  responsible  authorities  from  grappling  with  the 
question  and  endeavouring  to  formulate  a  scheme  which  will  greatly 
improve  the  existing  state  of  things  and  make  the  examination  worthy 
of  a  country  in  which  the  practice  of  horticulture  has  attained  to  a 
higher  degree  of  eminence  than  in  any  other  part  of  the  world. — 
(Conclusion  of  a  paper  read  hy  Mr.  Gio,  Gokdon,  V.M.H.,  at  a  meeting 
of  the  Horticultu' al  Club.) 
*  The  word  is  intended  to  exclude  Vines. 
