408 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
October  31,  1895. 
white  Rose  would  for  long  be  held  in  ill-repute  in  my  native  town, 
which  supported  the  Hanoverian  dynasty,  and  was  heavily  mulcted 
for  so  doing  by  the  Prince  on  his  way  back  to  the  North.  Happily 
these  days  are  over,  and  we  can  enjoy  these  double  white  flowers 
come  at  what  season  they  may.  Gypsophila  paniculata  lasted  in 
flower  until  into  October,  and  proved  valuable  in  many  ways. 
Rudbeckia  speciosa  and  sub-tomentosa  were  fine,  with  their  orange 
or  yellow  blooms  with  dark  centres.  Helianthus  giganteus  struggled 
against  the  gale,  and  although  it  came  off  second  best  still  furnished 
a  few  welcome  blooms,  small  though  they  are  compared  with  the 
stature  of  the  plant  on  which  they  grew. 
The  great  Moon  Daisy,  Chrysanthemum  uliginosum,  like  the 
“  Giant  ”  Sunflower,  is  too  tall  for  such  weather,  and  suffered 
too.  Still,  a  few  fine  days  would  revive  it  much,  and  give  us  the 
welcome  blooms  in  fair  condition.  Androsace  lanuginosa  was  in 
bud  and  bloom  too,  with  its  silky  foliage  attractive  as  ever.  Linarias 
alpina  and  anticaria  were  flowering  also,  and  Achillea  argentea  was 
pretty  with  its  silvery  leaves  and  white  flowers.  Hypericum 
napalense  was  fine  also,  with  its  golden  flowers  and  pleasing  green 
leaves.  Godetias,  Calliopsis,  Sweet  Peas,  and  other  annuals  aided 
these  and  other  perennials  to  give  some  brightness,  although  it  has 
been  sadly  obscured  by  the  weather.  Daily  this  brightness  shall 
grow  dimmer  still,  until  a  few  Crocuses  and  Snowdrops  shall  be 
prized  amid  the  dark  days  of  the  passing  year. — S.  Arnott. 
COOPER’S  BLACK  AND  GROS  MAROC  GRAPES. 
Whether  rightly  or  wrongly,  in  dealing  with  the  particular 
examples  before  them,  it  seems  that  some  judges  at  Scottish  shows 
regard  the  two  varieties  of  Grapes  named  as  synonymous,  and  dis¬ 
qualify  when  they  are  shown  as  distinct.  One  instance  of  this  is 
mentioned  by  a  correspondent  (“  Rusticus  who  writes  to  us  as 
follows  : — 
“At  the  last  Dundee  show  the  judges  thought  it  proper  to  dis¬ 
qualify  an  excellent  exhibit  of  four  bunches  of  Grapes  in  four 
varieties — namely,  Gros  Maroc,  Cooper’s  Black,  Black  Alicante, 
and  Muscat  of  Alexandria,  grown  by  Mr.  James  Besant,  gardener, 
Castle  Huntly,  Longforgan,  Perthshire,  on  the  ground  that  Gros 
Maroc  and  Cooper’s  Black  are  the  same  Grape.  I  have  had  Gros 
Maroc  and  Cooper’s  Black  under  my  charge,  and  grown  side  by 
side,  and  find  them  quite  distinct.  Gros  Maroc  shows  its  bunch  at 
the  second  leaf,  so  close  as  in  many  instances  to  render  it  impos¬ 
sible  to  get  a  piece  of  wood  cut  with  the  bunch.  In  Cooper’s 
Black  I  find  the  bunch  at  the  fifth  and  sixth  leaf,  oftener  at  the 
latter.  I  also  find  it  to  ripen  twelve  to  fourteen  days  earlier 
than  Gros  Maroc.  It  would  be  interesting  to  have  the  opinions  of 
experienced  Grape  growers  on  this  subject,  which  is  an  important 
one.” 
[We  have  had  Grapes  sent  to  us  under  the  name  of  Cooper’s 
Black  that  were  undoubtedly  Gros  Maroc,  but  this  does  not  prove 
that  all  which  are  grown  as  Cooper’s  Black  are  also  synonymous. 
A  very  experienced  judge  tells  us  that  he  has  seen  Cooper’s  Black 
exhibited  in  Scotland  more  closely  resembling  medium-sized  bunches 
of  Gros  Guillaume  (incorrectly  named  Barbarossa)  than  Gros  Maroc, 
which  he  knows  very  well.  “  Cooper’s  Black  ”  is  never  seen 
exhibited  in  the  south  of  England.  We  shall  be  glad  to  receive 
expressions  of  opinion  from  gardeners  who  have  grown  the  two 
alleged  varieties,  also  to  receive  a  typical  bunch,  with  wood  and 
foliage  of  both,  from  “  Rusticus,”  or  elsewhere.  We  know  some¬ 
thing  of  the  history  of  Gros  Maroc,  but  nothing  about  the  origin 
of  Cooper’s  Black,  and  should  like  to  arrive  at  the  truth  in  the 
matter  of  correct  nomenclature.] 
HEAD  GARDENERS  v.  HEAD  WORKING 
GARDENERS. 
Under  this  heading  we  have,  or  are  supposed  to  have,  two 
distinct  types  of  the  British  gardener  ;  but  however  clearly  defined 
in  past  times  the  line  of  demarcation  may  have  existed  between 
the  two  classes,  we  may  from  present  evidence  draw  conclusions 
that  the  hand  of  Time  is  busily  erasing  the  dividing  line.  We 
may,  moreover,  dare  to  predict  that  it  will  soon  cease  to  exist. 
Those  who  note  the  rapid  march  of  events  are  cognisant  of  the 
contemporaneous  causes  leading  up  to  this  effect.  Some  few  there 
are,  perhaps,  to  whom  the  consideration  of  these  or  similar  matters 
is  of  but  little  or  no  importance  ;  for  self-satisfaction  is  a  most 
comfortable  garment,  difficult  to  penetrate  either  by  shafts  of 
argument  or  convincing  proofs.  But  gardeners,  like  their  work — 
gardening,  roust  not  stand  still.  There  is  no  stopping  place  but  for 
those  who  would  be  left  behind.  Yesterday  the  stage  coach  was 
sufficient,  tc-day  the  steam  carriage  hardly  suffices,  to-morrow 
electric  propulsion  will  be  necessary — and  then  ?  Why,  then 
wheels  must  give  way  to  wings  ;  and  so  must  we — gardeners — 
travel  on  parallel  lines. 
Yet  we  do  not  part  with  the  past  (our  past)  without  a  pang  of 
regret,  and  it  is  just  possible  that,  although  compulsion  leaves  no 
choice,  progress  is  not  always  nett  profit.  Some,  at  least,  would 
gladly  retain  a  little  of  the  old  order  of  things  wherewith  to  leaven 
the  new.  There  was  a  quiet  dignity  displayed  by  those  grand  old 
gardeners,  those  of  them,  at  least,  whose  style  and  title  was  that 
of  “head”  without  the  qualifying  adjective  “  working  ”  in  con¬ 
junction  with  it. 
There  is,  too,  just  a  little  envy,  pardonable  I  hope,  in  comparing 
the  head  gardener  of  the  past  with  the  head  gardener  of  the 
present.  For  the  benefit  of  younger  readers,  who,  not  having  seen, 
may  possibly  never  have  the  opportunity  of  seeing  this  type  of 
bygone  days,  I  will  endeavour  to  sketch  from  memory  my  last 
interview  with  a  then  prominent  member  of  the  upper  gardening 
circle — one  who  had  introduced  a  new  fashion  into  the  gardening 
world — a  fashion  which  has  now  grown  old  whilst  he  has  passed 
away. 
I  think  that  if  my  modest  bit  of  pasteboard  had  not  been 
accompanied  by  one  bearing  a  noble,  and  to  him  well  known  name, 
my  visit  would  probably  have  begun  and  ended  under  the  tutelage 
of  the  foreman.  As  it  was,  a  somewhat  frigid  demeanour  was  soon 
thawed  into  a  genial  and  hearty  welcome.  This  was  probably  due 
to  a  little  tact  on  my  part,  for  finding  him  a  good  talker,  I  became 
a  good  listener.  It  was  easy  to  see  that  my  host  felt  a  little  con¬ 
tempt  for  my  youth,  but  this  was  scon  resolved  into  pity  rather 
than  blame  for  what  could  not  be  helped.  Time  has  since  rectified 
that. 
I  cannot  but  feel  now  that  the  impression  made  on  me  then  by 
this  courteous  and  dignified  man  was  in  some  way  connected  with 
his  mode  of  dress,  the  principal  items  of  which  were  a  voluminous 
black  frock  coat,  with  headgear  of  the  chimney-pot  kind  ;  not  such 
as  prevails  in  these  degenerate  days,  but  with  a  generous  breadth  of 
brim,  under  which  the  smoot’u  shaved  chin  was  half  buried  in  a  stiff 
stand-up  collar  of  immaculate  whiteness.  A  substantial  looking 
umbrella,  also  of  the  good  old  type,  appeared  to  be  his  inseparable 
companion,  and  frequent  use  of  it  to  demonstrate  his  theories  by 
drawing  outlines  on  the  walks  had  worn  off  a  good  inch  from  the 
stump  end. 
In  our  peregiinations  it  was  plain  to  see  that  his  word  was  law, 
and  such  law  has  conduced  to  sterling  work  and  perfect  order.  If 
success  has  attended  the  effort  to  convey  a  truthful  presentment 
of  this  head  gardener  (my  beau  ideal)  of  the  past,  it  is  scarcely 
necessary  to  add  that  he  had  r  el  1  that  position  in  the  one  place 
for  forty  years.  He  was,  indeed,  an  institution  of  it.  I  turn  from 
this  memory  of  the  past  with  regret,  regret  which  need  not  be 
misconstrued  into  weakness  only,  inasmuch  as  a  feeling  that  the 
tribute  paid  is  all  too  meagre  to  those  who  have  in  horticulture 
“  allured  to  brighter  world*  and  led  the  way.” 
In  paying  this  meed  of  respect,  we  of  the  present  do  not  sigh 
for  the  frock  coat  and  tall  hat  of  other  days.  One  could  not,  even 
figuratively,  cover  our  present  busy  “  heads  ”  with  beaver,  nor 
drape  their  bent  backs  in  broadcloth.  Here,  I  may  remark,  that 
the  allusion  is  to  head  gardeners,  not  head  working  gardeners, 
though  there  are  few,  I  think,  able  to  see  where,  in  our  day,  the 
distinction  comes  in.  To  illustrate  this  one  need  not  go  far.  For 
instance,  “  my  lord’s  ”  head  gardener,  who  rules  as  steward  over  an 
extensive  demesne  as  well,  I  find  in  the  thick  of  the  work,  wher¬ 
ever  that  work  may  be,  be  it  in  field,  farm,  or  garden  ;  and  {sub 
rosa)  I  saw  him  but  a  few  days  since  promoting  the  building  of  a 
wall  by  banding  stones  to  the  mason. 
Another,  whose  duties  are  solely  confined  to  the  garden,  with  a 
staff  of  forty  men  (and  boys),  is  found  by  a  visitor  taking  the 
opportunity,  in  “  His  Grace’s  ”  absence,  of  having  it  out  with  the 
red  spider  which  has  invaded  a  house  of  Crotons,  and  his  good 
sense  prohibits  any  feeling  of  mortification  on  being  found  with 
bis  shirt  sleeves  rolled  up  to  the  shoulder.  Still  another,  in 
propitious  weather,  goes  from  “  early  morn  till  dewy  eve  ”  without 
a  coat  of  any  description  to  his  back.  This,  of  course,  when  the 
family  are  away.  When  at  home,  he  sacrifices  personal  comfort  to 
respect  for  them  by  wearing  it. 
Such  are  types  of  the  head  gardener  of  to-day  ;  and  after  this, 
of  the  head  working  gardener,  so  called,  there  is  but  little  to  say, 
so  far  as  working  propensities  by  comparison  are  concerned  ;  it  is, 
indeed,  the  difference  ’cwixt  six  and  half  a  dozen.  That  there  are 
gardeners  and  gardeners  goes  without  saying,  and  gardeners  of  all 
degrees ;  but  the  exigencies  of  the  times  appear  to  be  fast  abolishing 
distinctive  appellations.  Advertisements  are  of  some  value  as 
statistics,  and  probably  those  who  happily  do  not  need  to  take 
special  interest  in  them  scan  them  out  of  curiosity. 
Unfortunately  they  are,  for  those  seeking  situations,  steadily 
increasing,  and  I  daresay  it  is  frequently  noticed  how  large  is  the 
