158 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
February  20,  1696. 
Votbs  for  Twenty-four  Japanese  Varieties  (continued)— 
5  Silver  King 
5  Mrs.  E.  G.  Hill 
5  Waban 
4  Miss  Elsie  Teichmann 
4  John  Machar 
4  President  Armand 
4  Mdme.  Octavie  Mirbeau 
4  E.  L.  Jamieson 
4  Emily  Silsbury 
4  Golden  Wedding 
4  L’Isfere 
4  Mrs.  Falconer  Jameson 
3  Mrs;  E.  W.  Clark 
3  Le  Moucherotte 
3  Mrs.  John  Shrimpton 
3  Lady  Byron 
3  Boule  d’Or 
3  John  Seward 
3  John  Shrimpton 
3  Graphic 
3  The  Queen 
3  Mrs.  C.  W.  Wheeler 
3  Mrs.  E.  S.  Trafford 
3  Princess  May 
3  Prbfet  Bobert 
2  Boule  d’Or  (Calvat’s) 
2  Australian  Gold 
2  Beautb  Toulousaine 
2  Meins.  Bernard 
2  Abbb  Mendenhall 
2  Mephisto 
2  Lady  E.  Saunders 
2  Mrs.  George  Gordon 
2  Mrs.  T.  Denne 
1  Avalanche 
1  Thomas  Hewitt 
1  Dorothy  Seward 
1  William  Slogrove 
1  Mrs.  Hermann  Kloss 
1  Excelsior 
1  Mrs.  W.  J.  Godfrey 
1  Mrs.  Magee 
1  Vice-President  Audiguier 
1  Le  Colosse  Grenoblois 
1  Vice-President  Calvat 
1  Mdme.  E.  Capitante 
1  Mrs.  H.  T.  Drewett 
1  Mdile.  Therese  Panckoucke 
1  Fred  Water  ton 
1  Mr.  R.  B.  Martin 
1  Elmer  D.  Smith 
1  W.  H.  Fowler 
1  Madame  M.  Giroud 
1  Antoinette 
1  Edelweiss 
1  C.  B.  Haywood 
1  Mons.  H.  J.  Jones 
1  Edmund  Bevan 
1  Lago  Maggiore 
1  C.  H.  Payne 
1  Tendresse 
1  Miss  Dulcie  Schroeter 
1  Mrs.  Dr.  Ward 
1  Mrs.  E.  G.  Whittle 
1  Col.  T.  C.  Bourne 
1  Owen  Thomas 
1  King  of  Chrysanthemums 
1  Silver  Cloud 
1  William  Fife 
1  Mons.  Alf.  Giroud 
1  Amos  Perry 
1  J.  Stanborough  Dibben 
1  Mons.  Joanny  Molin 
1  Baronne  de  Buffieres 
145  varieties. 
Votes  for  Twelve  New  Japanese  Varieties. 
51  Edith  Tabor 
45  Mrs.  H.  Weeks 
32  Mons.  Chenon  de  Leche 
31  Dorothy  Seward 
27  Mrs.  John  Shrimpton 
24  John  Seward 
22  Pallanza 
21  Mutual  Friend 
21  Phoebus 
21  Madame  Carnot 
20  Lago  Maggiore 
20  Reine  d’Angleterre 
19  Lady  Byron 
19  Miss  Rita  Schroeter 
18  Boule  d’Or  (Calvat’s) 
18  Emily  Silsbury 
15  Mrs.  Charles  Bfick 
14  Mrs.  Hermann  Kloss 
13  Oceana 
13  Duchess  of  York 
13  Eva  Knowles 
12  Mrs.  C.  E.  Shea 
11  Miss  Elsie  Teichmann 
10  William  Slogrove 
9  Le  Mouchero  te 
9  Graphic 
9  Arona 
9  Directeur  Tisserand 
8  Mons.  Gruyer 
8  Mrs.  W.  H,  Lees 
8  Mdile.  M.  A.  de  Galbert 
7  Deuil  de  Jules  Ferry 
7  Bellem 
7  Mons.  C.  H.  Payne 
7  Philadelphia 
7  Mons.  Ch.  Molin 
5  Australian  Gold 
5  Olive  Oclee 
5  C.  B.  Haywood 
4  Beauty  of  Teignmouth 
4  W.  Wright 
4  Col.  T.  C.  Bourne 
4  Mrs.  A.  G.  Hubbuck 
4  Mr.  P.  Purnell 
4  Mons.  Georges  Biron 
4  Madame  Rozaine 
4  Duchess  of  Wellington 
4  Mrs.  Hume  Long 
3  Amiral  Avellan 
3  Miss  Mary  Godfrey 
3  J.  W.  McHattie 
3  Wood’s  Pet 
3  Hairy  Wonder 
3  The  Queen 
3  MonB.  Panckoucke 
3  Mrs.  Magee 
3  Madame  Ad.  Chatin 
3  Thomas  Wilkins 
3  Princess  Ena 
3  Mrs.  W.  J.  Godfrey 
3  Miss  Dulcie  Schroeter 
3  Mrs.  E.  S.  Trafford 
3  Mrs.  Higinbotham 
3  Pride  of  Madford 
3  Sunstone 
2  Maggie  Shea 
2  A.  H.  Wood 
2  Australia 
2  President  Carnot 
2  Jules  Chretien 
2  Qaeen  of  Buffs 
2  Mr.  A.  Payne 
2  Rev.  S.  J.  Scott 
2  Matthew  Hodgson 
2  Lady  Esther  Smith 
2  Lady  Ridgeway 
2  Miss  Goschen 
2  William  Fife 
2  Miss  Maggie  Blenkiron 
2  Mephisto 
2  H.  L.  Sunderbruck 
2  President  Armand 
2  Richard  Dean 
2  Lady  Randolph 
2  General  Roberts 
2  Owen  Thomas 
1  Mrs.  Carpenter 
1  Mrs.  Richard  Jones 
1  Simplicity 
1  Western  King 
1  J.  Bidencope 
1  Mons.  Demay-Taillandier 
1  Latest  Fad 
1  Mayflower 
1  Mrs.  George  Gordon 
1  Eugbnie  Dailledouze 
1  Nyanza 
1  Antoinette 
1  Madame  Ad.  Cordonnier 
Votes  for  Twelve  New  Japanese  Varieties  ( continued ) — 
1  Mons.  Aug.  de  Lacvivier 
1  Lady  E.  Saunders 
1  Abbd  Mendenhall 
1  Mr.  R.  B.  Martin 
1  Mdme.  Ad.  Moulin 
1  Theodore  Bock 
1  Lady  Playfair 
1  Mrs.  G.  H.  Smart 
1  Pride  of  Maidenhead 
1  Mrs.  Geo.  West 
1  John  Lightfoot 
1  Pride  of  Exmouth 
1  Miss  Dorothea  Shea 
1  Pride  of  Swanley 
1  Mrs.  Henry  Cheesman 
1  Alice  M.  Love 
1  Miss  Muriel  Goschen 
1  H.  W.  Hieman 
1  The  Egyptian 
1  Miss  Bronna  Foster 
1  Milky  White 
1  Van  den  Heede 
1  Rose  Wynne 
1  William  Bolia 
1  Miss  Rose  Shotter 
1  Hallow  E’en 
1  Mrs.  J.  George  Ils 
1  Mrs.  G.  J.  Beer 
1  A.  H.  Fewkes 
1  Silver  King 
1  Le  Colosse  Grenoblois 
1  Mrs.  Smith  Rylands 
1  John  Machar 
1  Good  Gracious 
1  Mdme.  G.  Capitante 
1  Mdile.  Thdrese  Panckoucke 
135  varieties 
(To  be  concluded.) 
THE  VALUE  OF  OBSERVATION. 
Admitting  this  in  its  entirety,  it  may,  I  think,  be  termed  the 
vital  necessity  of  observation  in  so  far  as  it  relates  to  the  sphere 
of  a  gardener’s  work.  These  brief  remarks,  which  may  possibly 
serve  as  a  slight  refresher  to  old  travellers,  will,  I  trust,  open  out 
or  further  develop  a  train  of  thought  in  younger  ones.  Moreover, 
there  are  side  lights,  less  clear,  but  equally  important,  emanating 
ffrom  the  subject,  and  it  is  rather  to  these  than  to  the  more 
conspicuous  principle  involved  to  which  I  would  call  attention. 
These  side  lights  embrace  a  larger  area,  taking  in  both  readers  and 
writers — learners  and  teachers,  as  well  as  our  text  book,  the 
Journal  of  Horticulture.  Now  this  text  book,  guide,  friend,  or 
what  you  will — to  my  mind  it  is  each  and  all  of  these  designations — 
differs  as  much  from  other  educational  works  and  methods  as 
does  the  subject  it  treats  of  to  all  subjects  foreign  to  horticulture. 
Was  this  not  the  case,  and  all  its  matter  reduced  to  lines  of 
mathematical  precision  for  our  guidance,  then,  and  then  only, 
might  we  rest  assured  that  nothing  could  be  said  or  done  beyond 
following  the  lessons  and  repeating  them  for  the  benefit  of  younger 
scholars  and  future  generations.  Should  such  be  even  remotely 
possible,  then,  I  fear,  whilst  surmounting  many  troubles,  we  shall 
have  dispensed  with  the  most  potent  charms  of  gardening.  In 
the  infinite  variety,  the  many  surprises,  and  the  all  but  boundless 
possibilities  lies  the  fascination  of  the  art.  When  duty  becomes 
merged  into  an  all-absorbing  passion  the  consciousness  of  power 
is  felt,  and  felt  to  be  practically  unlimited  ;  for  power,  in  what¬ 
ever  shape  or  form,  is  man’s  desire,  and  distinguishes  him 
according  to  the  degree  he  is  possessed  of  it.  So  we  see  men  live 
and  move  and  feel  with  the  plastic  objects  of  their  care,  insensible 
to  heat  and  drought,  rain  or  frost,  only  so  far  as  theRe  factors 
affect  the  objects  of  their  paternal  anxiety.  From  this  strong 
light  may  be  noted  convergent  rays,  side  lights,  illumining  the 
more  obscure  tributaries  to  success. 
Whilst  it  may  be  granted  that  the  successful  gardener  attains 
and  maintains  his  position  by  the  exercise  of  various  attributes,  it 
is  not  so  clearly  defined  that  his  adaptability  to  circumstances  is  a 
high  potential  of  means  to  the  end.  Adaptability  to  circumstances 
can  only,  in  our  case,  proceed  from  untiring  observation.  There 
is  no  item  of  an  observant  man’s  charge  (and  they  are  many)  but 
what  is  felt  to  be  an  important  unit  to  the  sum  of  his  success. 
Our  observant  man  is  a  great  reader — all  good  gardeners  are  ;  but 
here  the  difference  is  found  in  his  interpretation  of  other  people’s 
practice,  and  it  is  this  observation  which  extracts  and  assimilates 
the  essence  of  teaching — the  spirit  from  the  letter. 
We  may  take  it  that  a  Cattleya,  or  a  Cucumber,  or  any  one 
variety  of  a  species,  possesses  sufficient  family  *rait3  of  character  to 
justify  the  same  treatment  being  accorded  to  it  in  order  to  attain 
the  like  results.  What  is  good  for  the  plant  in  London  is  good  for 
it  in  Lincoln  or  at  the  Land’s  End  ;  consequently,  on  this  basis,  it 
is  only  necessary  for  the  man  at  the  one  end  to  faithfully  copy  the 
successful  practice  of  the  man  at  the  other  to  produce  the  same 
satisfactory  results.  Tet  the  observant  man  is  aware  that  the 
outlines  only  may,  as  a  rule,  be  strictly  adhered  to  ;  the  detailed 
filling-in  must  be  done  by  himself  according  to  a  variety  of 
circumstances  which  environ  him. 
A  simple  illustration  may  more  clearly  point  my  meaning. 
Most,  all  in  fact,  of  our  skilled  orchidists  are  agreed  that  more 
than  ordinary  care  is  required  to  maintain  plants  of  Phalsenopsis  in 
good  health  during  the  dull  season  of  the  year,  and  we  note  the 
emphasis  laid  by  our  guides  on  Orchid  matters  of  careful  watering 
with  due  precaution  to  avoid  wetting  the  foliage.  Well  and  good. 
Those  who  have  experience  of  this  class  of  plants  will  not  question 
