212 
March  15,  190(r. 
JOUnNAL 
OF  HOIlTigULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  OARDENER. 
great  gardens  of  the  past  from  their  high  estate,  and  the  events  that 
contributed  to  the  limitation  of  the  resources  by  which  they  were  so 
sjilendidly  maintained.  These  are  misfortunes  in  which  many  more 
than  their  owners  are  compelled  to  share,  but  the  increase  of  wealth 
by  the  mercantile  community  has  been  the  means  of  bringing  into 
existence  other  gardens  of  different  grades,  and  not  a  few  of  them 
of  considerable  extent,  while  thousands  more  of  moderate  area,  yet 
highly  cherished  and  liberally  supported,  have  been  established 
during  the  present  generation. 
Broadly  speaking,  it  may  be  safely  said  that  at  no  period  were 
there  so  many  genuine  garden  lovers  as  at  the  present  time,  and 
certainly  there  were  never  so  many  persons  engaged  in  the  ])ursuit  of 
gardening  in  its  diverse  aspects  and  allied  industries  as  is  the  case 
now.  These  remarks  obviously  have  reference  to  the  conduct  of 
nurseries,  seed  establishments,  and  market  growing  areas,  as  well  as 
private  gardens,  also  to  the  production  of  necessaries  connected  there¬ 
with.  When  all  these  sections  are  taken  into  account,  as  they  must 
be  in  an  estimate  of  the  public  taste  and  requirements,  some  concep¬ 
tion  may  be  formed  of  the  magnitude  of  the  horticultural  interest  and 
industry  in  this  country  in  1900. 
Perhaps  in  no  other  way  is  this  more  clearly  shown  than  in  the 
current  literature  bearing  on  the  subject.  Every  class  and  section  of 
garden  lovers  is  provided  for,  from  the  cottager,  artisan,  and  city 
clerk — whose  few  square  yards  in  the  suburbs  is  to  him  an  earthly 
paradise — to  the  learned  scientific  cultivator  and  the  professional 
gardener  and  advanced  practical  amateur.  The  wants  of  all  are  met  ; 
simple  fare  for, the  tyros  with  their  odd  shillings  to  spend,  more 
intellectual  repasts  for  the  savants,  substantial  provision  for  the 
requirements  of  the  wealthier  section  of  the  community,  and  guidance 
for  those  intelligent  workers  with  high  aims,  who  are  laudably 
seeking  to  distinguish  themselves  in  the  art  that  so  many  adorn. 
Then,  in  addition,  what  can  be  said  of  the  remarkable  abundance  and 
splendid  quality  of  the  trade  literature  connected  with  gardening  ? 
In  one  word  of  simple  truth,  it  can  be  said  that  it  cannot  be  equalled 
by  that  of  any  country  in  the  world. 
All  this  goes  to  prove  that  gardening  as  a  pursuit  of  pleasure,  with 
its  necessary  correlative  commercial  ramifications,  is  deeply  rooted, 
and  becoming  more  so  yearly,  in  the  affections  of  the  people,  from  the 
most  affluent  to  the  well-to-do  ;  also  by  the  masses,  who  find  agreeable 
relaxation  in  it  from  their  daily  labour  of  various  kinds,  while  a 
greater  number  of  busy  workers  find  the  means  of  livelihood  within 
its  sphere  of  influence  than  was  ever  known  before.  It  is  even  said 
that  the  demand  for  skilled,  steady,  industrious  young  men  is  greater 
than  the  supply.  This  is  somewhat  of  a  novelty,  and  not,  perhaps,  to 
be  entirely  regretted.  The  vacuum,  if  such  there  be,  is  certain  to  be 
filled,  and,  it  is  earnestly  to  be  hoped,  by  bright  intelligent  men,  who 
are  as  well  educated  as  they  can  be  by  their  own  exertions,  and  at  the 
same  time  hearty  and  willing  workers.  Science  is  good,  and  examina¬ 
tions  are  good,  but  for  young  gardeners  to  get  on  in  the  world  they 
must,  as  the  Superintendent  of  the  Chiswick  Gardens  has  officially 
recorded,  be  also,  and  especially,  workers. 
That  gardening  has  its  checks  in  the  ordinary  routine  isjproverbial. 
This  is  a  necessity  of  the  case  since  it  is  to  a  large  extent  governed  by 
ever  varying  natural  influences  beyond  human  control.  It  is  also 
beset  by  obstacles  of  various  kinds,  with  enemies  visible  and  invisible 
in  many  forms  ;  but  all  this  and  these  give  zest  to  the  earnest  man, 
affording  stimulus  to  his  thought  and  vigour  to  his  action  in  efforts 
to  prevent  or  overcome  them,  and  the  more  stubborn  the  difficulties 
encountered  the  greater  the  triumph  of  success. 
Episodes  of  a  general  nature  are,  moreover,  always  liable  to  occur 
to  divert  attention  from  our  great  pursuit  of  peace,  and  to  draw  some  of 
its  votaries  beyond  its  influence.  Even  some  of  our  most  valorous 
soldiers  are  lovers  of  gardens ;  this  has  always  been  so,  even  though 
they  be  as  wide  as  the  poles  asunder  in  their  views  on  other  matters. 
It  is  said  of  Charles  I.  that  only  a  few  days  before  his  trial  he  ordered 
seeds  of  Spanish  Melons  to  be  “  planted  in  his  garden  at  Wimbledon,” 
while  his  successor  to  that  garden,  the  republican  General  Lambert, 
one  of  the  victors  at  Marston  Moor,  is  said  to  have  been  “  as  fond  as 
the  king  of  his  gardens,  and  possessing  the  finest  Tulips  and  Gilli- 
fiowers  that  could  be  had  for  love  or  money,”  and  also  that  when  the 
old  warrior  was  banished  for  life  to  “the  Is'e  of  (xuernsey,  he  there 
lived  for  upwards  ot  thirty  years  amusing  his  leisure  with  horti¬ 
culture.”  Thus  men  of  the  most  diverse  views  generally  may  be  and 
happily  are,  united  in  their  love  of  gardening  and  pursue  it  in  peaceful 
friendly  rivalry. 
Gardeners— those  who  derive  the  means  of  livelihood  from  it — 
love  it,  too,  for  its  own  sake.  An  observant  clergyman  has  written, 
“Gardeners,  though  often  hard  worked,  and  even_  weighted  with 
families,  perhaps,  yet  delight  in  their  worn  and  its  surroundings. 
Who  besides  a  gardener  reads  so  much  about  his  business  ?  Trades¬ 
men,  as  a  rule,  do  not  spend  their  evenings  reading  about  their  trades, 
nor  do  grooms  and  gamekeepers  about  their  callings  ;  but  a  gardener 
reads  his  books  on  subjects  of  his  craft,  also  the  Journal  of  Horticulture, 
from  the  pleasure  it  gives  him,  as  well  as  because  of  itS  help  in  his 
calling.”  It  is  this  love— this  devotion,  plus  knowledge  acquired,  and 
resolute  action  in  striving  for  supremacy,  that  have  largely  contributed 
to  make  British  gardening  whaf  it  is  in  1900.  Long  may  it  flourish 
to  exert  its  wholesome  influence  on  the  nation’s  life.— Mentor. 
The  Awakening. 
Haush  were  the  winds  and  cold  the  showers  that  ushered  in  the 
month  of  March  ;  the  face  ot  Nature  was  sombre  awaiting  the  revi¬ 
vifying  effect  of  a  softer  air  and  brighter  sun.  But  in  a  day — 
almost  in  a  moment — the  aspect  changed  and  the  more  genial  con¬ 
ditions  were  followed  by  the  awakening  of  plant  life  from  its  winter 
sleep.  The  hedges  bristle  with  the  tender  green  of  the  bursting  buds, 
the  Almond  trees  expand  their  beautiful  flowers,  the  yellow  Crocus 
open  wide  their  cups  to  t|he  mid-day  sun,  aud  the  Snowdrop’s  bells 
hang  in  chastest  beauty  ;  fcverything  points  to  the  advent  of  spring, 
with  its  many  and  varied  ^harms.  The  winter  has  not,  perhaps,  been 
typical,  frosts  have  not  been  frequent  and  severe,  snow  has  not  come 
to  spread  its  mantle  of  pmjity  over  the  land  to  any  great  extent,  but 
the  awakening  of  the  plante  is  none  the  less  welcome  or  appreciated. 
On  every  hand  we  can  now  fee  that  touch  of  Nature  of  which 
poets  have  sung  and  in  whnse  praise  painters  have  wielded  an  inspired 
brush.  We  may  see  this  and  more.  For  is  there  not  in  the  present 
abundance  a  promise  for  thel  summer  and  for  the  harvest  ?  True  it  is 
too  soon  yet  tor  one  to  hazard  a  prophecy  of  what  the  harvest  time 
Avill  bring  forth.  We  may-^r.ay,  the  probabilities  are  that  we  shall — 
have  frosts  and  biting  winds  to  nip  the  bud  and  the  flower  within  its 
delicate  casing,  but  the  promise  of  spring  is  great,  and  “hope  springs 
eternal  in  the  human  breast.”  Each  season  brings  to  every  one  of  us 
who  is  engaged  in  the  oldest  art  some  reverses  ;  each  spring  we  think 
we  can  see  the  bounteous  recompense  for  labour  done  ;  and  each  year 
some  promises  remain  unfilfilled.  Does  the  gardener  lose  heart  and 
remain  unresponsive  to  the  witchery  of  spring  ?  Never ;  no  matter 
how  he  may  have  been  beiot  by  trials  and  troubles  in  the  years  that 
have  gone  he  still  presses  onward  and  pictures  in  his  mind  the  plant  in 
all  the  glorious  beauty  of  its  flowers  aud  the  tree  laden  with  its 
luscious  burden.  The  fountain  of  hope  is  stronger  in  none  than  in 
the  gardener,  who  tends  with  loving  hand  the  plants  he  grows  so 
well. 
No  months  are  more'ertile  of  uncertainties  in  the  garden  than  are 
March  and  April — the  avakeuing  and  the  anticif)ation.  From  day  to 
day,  as  the  buds  enlarje  to  expansion,  we  look  and  hope  for  fine 
weather,  but  can  n^-ver  le  sure  of  what  the  next  twelve  hours  may 
have  in  store  for  us.  Tuly  gardening  is  full  of  uncertainties.  The 
cultivator  must  ever  be  on  the  alert  to  protect  his  developing  crops 
from  the  visitation  of  a  Bidden  frost,  and  many  are  the  expedients  that 
have  been  resorted  to  in  j-essing  emergencies.  Everything,  apparently, 
has  been  requisitioned  f<r  one  purpose  or  another,  and  if  the  articles 
employed  have  not  alwajs  been  ornamental,  let  us  hope  they  have 
proved  their  value  by  tlidr  usefulness,  Certain  it  is  that  the  man 
who  ac^s  is  the  one  whoEcores  in  gardening,  and  he  who  contents 
himselt  with  hoping  thefrost  will  do  no  harm  oftentimes  finds  him¬ 
self  minus  a  crop  of  florers,  or  fruit,  or  vegetables.  Every  one  of  us 
no  doubt  can  recall  at  last  one  disaster  in  our  career  that  might  have 
been  averted  by  prompt  action,  and  probably  there  are  few  who  have 
not  had  to  take  a  turn  m  a  bitter  night  in  covering  some  cherished 
crop  of  Potatoes  or  flowe’s  ii  the  garden  or  fruit  on  the  wall.  But  it 
has  been  all  for  the  bet,  and  the  gardener  becomes  somewhat  of  a 
philosopher  who  may  guniMe  a  little  but  seldom  fails  to  do  the  best 
he  can  when  the  momeit  fcr  action  arrives.  Procrastination  with  a 
frost  in  the  air  at  nigit  is  liable  to  prove  a  thief  of  other  things 
besides  time.  We  are  all  rejoicing  in  the  awakening  ;  let  us  all,  then, 
do  our  best  to  make  tie  tine  of  realisation — harvest — a  period  for 
rejoicing  too. — S.  E. 
