May  7,  1896. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
417 
A  fact  bearing  on  the  point  is  perhaps  worthy  of  record,  in  which 
two  good  men,  then  foremen,  were  the  chosen  pair  from  which  one  had 
to  be  selected  as  the  successor  of  another  gardener  of  high  calibre  and 
attainments,  Mr.  Owen  Thomas.  This  was  when  he  left  Impney  for 
Chatsworth,  which  he  won  after  a  searching  test  of  his  capacity  and 
examination  of  his  work,  not  in  the  least  by  any  favour  or  patronage.  The 
proprietor  of  Impney  (John  Corbett,  Esq.)  first  sent  for  Mr.  Divers,  then 
on  a  subsequent  day  for  Mr.  Richard  Parker.  The  writer  happened  to  be 
at  Impney  on  the  “  Parker”  day,  and  was  asked  by  Mr.  Corbett  if  he  knew 
the  two  candidates.  Mr.  Divers  he  knew,  and  the  admirable  work  at 
Burghley.  Mr.  Mclndoe  he  knew,  and  the  splendid  produce  grown  at 
Hutton,  but  did  not  know  Mr.  Parker,  and  did  not  envy  Mr.  Corbett  of 
the  decision  he  had  to  take.  “  Well,”  was  the  rejoinder,  “  Mr.  Divers  I 
have  seen  and  like  him  in  every  way.  I  would  engage  him  but  for  one 
thing,  and  may  engage  him  yet,  but  I  think  I  gave  Sir  Joseph  Pease  to 
understand  that  after  his  testimony  of  Parker’s  ability,  if  I  liked  the 
appearance  and  demeanour  of  his  foreman,  I  would  engage  him.  He  is 
coming  to  see  me  this  morning.” 
On  returning  to  the  gardens  Mr.  Parker  was  there.  He  was  “shown 
through,”  diagnosed  (and  no  doubt  knew  it)  by  leading  questions  and 
observations,  such  as  old  hands  are  apt  to  employ  in  the  most  casual  way 
for  measuring  their  man.  The  promenade  over  Mr.  Parker  was  sent  to 
face  the  music.  “  He’ll  do,”  said  Mr.  Thomas,  “  he’s  all  there,  and  as 
Mr.  Corbett  will  keep  his  word  Parker  will  get  the  place  ”  and  he  did  ; 
but  just  a  little  more  has  to  be  added.  Mr.  Divers  went  to  Ketton,  and 
gardeners  who  saw  his  work  there  will  agree  they  bad  seen  no  better. 
Then  came  the  Bel  voir  vacancy  and  also  the  Goodwood  vacancy,  and 
the  end  of  it  was  the  two  clever  foreman  who  were  put  through  their 
facings  at  Impney  in  1884  became  gardeners  to  Dukes,  Mr.  Richard 
Parker  to  the  Duke  of  Richmond  and  Gordon,  Mr  William  Divers  to 
the  Duke  of  Rutland  in  the  self-same  year  ;  while  the  third  man  of  the 
trio  mentioned  is  at  Royal  Windsor.  Not  chance,  not  patronage,  but 
ability  and  accomplishments  have  placed  them  where  they  are,  to  remain, 
it  is  hoped,  happy  and  prosperous  for  many  years  to  come. 
Just  a  few  more  lines.  Asking  Mr.  Divers  about  his  origin  and 
experience,  he  replied  concisely  as  follows  : — “  I  sprang  up  at  Wierton, 
where  my  father  was  gardener  over  forty  years.  From  there  I  moved  to 
Linton  Park,  then  to  Brant.ingham  Thorpe,  Sand  beck  Park,  Hat  field 
House,  Tandridge  Court,  Burghley  Park,  Ketton  Hall,  and  finally 
to  Belvoir  Castle  in  the  spring  of  1894  That  is  the  whole  round, 
with  three  short  terms  in  Messrs.  Veitch’s  nursery,  where  I  gained 
much  knowledge  and  experience.”  Here  may  be  appended  a  prophetic 
utterance  that  Mr.  Divers  may  perhaps  hear  about  for  the  first 
time  : — Thirty  years  ago  or  more  two  great  men  in  the  horticultural 
world  went  on  a  visit  to  Linton  Park,  and  from  thence  the  late  Mr. 
John  Robson  conducted  them  to  another  estate.  Pointing  to  a  youth 
in  the  gardens,  he  said,  “  I  want  you  to  watch  the  future  of  that 
young  man,  who,  I  quite  expect,  will  distinguish  himself.  He  is  above 
most  young  men,  studious,  diligent  in  obtaining  exact  knowledge,  per¬ 
severing,  and  industrious,  and,  I  think,  must  win  for  himself  a  good 
position.”  The  “  young  man  ”  was  Mr.  William  H.  Divers,  one  of  the 
visitors  Dr.  Hogg  ;  and  of  both  I  am  happy  in  being  able  to  subscribe 
myself — An  Old  Friend. 
YOUNG  GARDENERS. 
Their  Hours  and  Habitations. 
I  AM  glad  this  subject  has  not  yet  been  allowed  to  rest,  and  I  feel 
sure  that  beneficial  results  to  our  young  gardeners  and  garden  labourers 
will  result.  The  Saturday  half  holiday  is  a  boon  to  the  men  in  this 
establishment,  and  we  lose  nothing  ;  the  work  does  not  suffer  in  con¬ 
sequence,  the  men  make  a  spurt  on  Saturday  morning  to  finish  off  what 
we  require  to  have  done  to  render  all  tidy  and  satisfactory  over  the  week 
end.  On  the  other  hand,  I  am  inclined  to  think  we  gain  by  the  half 
holidays.  On  two  or  three  occasions  I  have  said,  when  pushed,  we  must 
have  this  done  before  Saturday  if  possible.  The  response  has  been,  “We 
will  stay  half  an  hour  longer  to-night,  or  come  earlier  in  the  morning.” 
Such  conduct  on  the  part  of  the  men  is  not  overlooked. 
The  whole  of  the  men  on  this  estate  leave  off  at  1  p.m.  on  Saturday — 
mechanics,  forest  men,  as  well  as  those  engaged  on  the  roads  and  home 
farm.  I  made  no  plea  in  my  first  notes  for  these  men  in  the  pages  of 
a  gardening  periodical ;  besides,  this  matter  rests  entirely  with  those  who 
have  the  charge  of  those  departments.  As  a  rule  gardeners  are  the  best 
educated  men  employed  on  an  estate,  and  why  should  they  not  be 
leaders,  not  mere  followers?  Why  should  the  garden  suffer  because 
others  refuse  to  follow  improved  and  the  enlightened  methods  of  arrange¬ 
ment  that  the  times  demand  ? 
Stable-men  and  keepers  are  differently  situated,  both  often  have 
hours  in  the  day  when  they  have  little  to  do  ;  but  a  good  lot  of  night 
work.  These  we  may  dismiss  from  our  consideration.  Wherever  I  have 
been  these  men  work  on  totally  different  lines  to  the  garden  and  estate 
men. 
As  a  rule  we  do  not  work  overtime  in  the  garden,  except  when 
circumstances  compel  us  to  do  so,  and  these  times  ever  will  occur 
occasionally  with  gardeners.  When  we  work  overtime  it  is,  as  a  rule, 
to  pull  up  for  lost  time  on  the  part  of  the  men.  I  have  always  practised 
giving  the  men  an  hour  or  two,  a  day,  a  few  days,  or  a  week,  as  the  case 
may  be,  when  they  ask  for  it.  Times  come  when  men  require  these 
favours,  and  I  find  when  granted  the  men  willingly  make  up  the  lost 
time.  I  have  known  men  desire  to  get  up  earlier  in  the  morning,  work 
at  dinner  time  or  after  tea  to  push  on  the  work,  when  they  want  a  day 
or  two.  I  admire  this  “give  and  take”  business,  and  find  the  men,  as  a 
rule,  take  more  interest  in  their  work,  work  harder,  and  study  the  chief’s 
interest  better  when  they  find  consideration  is  extended  to  them.  The 
work  goes  on  smoothly  and  well  without  grumbling,  as  was  too  frequently 
in  the  past,  and  is  still  in  some  places,  where  men  have  their  “  nose  on 
the  grindstone  ”  from  year’s  end  to  year’s  end. 
I  do  not  believe  very  much  in  overtime,  the  ordinary  hours  of  the 
day  are  ample,  and  very  little  extra  work,  if  any,  is  done  by  lengthening 
the  day  by  two  or  three  hours.  The  whole  of  the  men  on  our  estate  are 
paid  for  overtime,  whether  they  are  hay  making,  sitting  up  with  cattle, 
or  attending  to  them  on  the  Sunday.  In  my  own  department  I  do  not 
pay  for  overtime  without  the  work  is  of  an  extra  nature,  then  it  is  paid 
for.  I  prefer  to  work  on  the  lines  indicated,  and  I  am  proud  to  think 
we  have  not  a  man  in  the  garden  at  the  present  time  who  would  grumble 
if  asked  to  stay  to  pull  up  work  in  a  backward  state  without  remunera¬ 
tion.  I  am  willing  to  admit  there  are  solitary  exceptions  when  men 
grumble,  even  if  they  had  their  own  way  about  everything  they  would 
be  dissatisfied.  These  are  the  exception,  not  the  rule. 
These  and  many  other  details  need  consideration  according  to 
circumstances.  It  is  only  a  matter  for  each  individual  chief  to  arrange 
how  the  work  shall  be  done  on  Saturday  afternoon  and  Sunday.  I 
want,  however,  to  remove  any  impression  that  we  give  the  Saturday 
afternoon  in  order  to  make  up  for  lost  time  on  the  Sunday  morning. 
Our  object  is  and  always  has  been  to  reduce  the  Sunday  work  as  much 
as  possible.  In  large  gardens  where  thousands  of  Strawberries  and 
other  plan's  are  on  shelves  in  the  houses  and  pits  they  need  a  good 
deal  of  attention  between  Saturday  at  noon  and  Monday  morning.  I 
prefer  for  all  to  do  a  little  on  Sunday  morning  rather  than  make  a  day 
of  slavery  for  the  two  or  three  men  on  duty.  It  is  equally  fair  to  all. 
The  syringing  and  watering  by  the  men  of  their  own  charges  do  not 
hurt  the  men,  and  is  an  advantage  to  those  on  duty.  The  men  have 
done  in  time  for  church  or  any  other  place  thev  wish  to  go  to.  If  a 
man  wishes  to  go  away  he  makes  his  wishes  known,  and  his  share  of  the 
work  is  arranged  for. 
I  do  not  wish  anyone  to  follow  our  example  in  this  respect ;  we  do 
not  object  to  varying  details  when  the  object  attained  is  practically  the 
same.  I  may  say,  however,  for  eighteen  and  a  half  years  we  have 
arranged  the  Sunday  duty  on  the  same  principle,  and  it  has  always 
worked  satisfactorily  and  agreeably  to  the  men.  I  am  always  open  to 
consider  from  my  men  any  objection  they  bring  forward,  and  if  for  the 
good  of  the  majority  am  pleased  to  adopt  it  from  whatever  source  it 
may  spring.  If  a  man  can  do  the  same  amount  of  work  in  nine  or  ten 
hours  a  day  or  less,  what  advantage  is  achieved  by  keeping  him  an  hour 
or  two  more  ?  I  do  not  believe  in  long  hours  ;  not  one  scrap  more  work 
is  done — if  the  men  are  made  to  grasp  that  so  much  must  be  done  they 
do  it  with  better  grace  in  nine  hours  than  they  would  in  twelve.— 
Wm.  Bardney. 
I  have  read  with  great  interest  the  numerous  letters  that  have 
appeared  on  the  above  subject,  and  I  am  pleased  to  see  there  are  some 
who  do  not  look  on  young  gardeners  in  the  light  of  automatic  machines  ; 
but  unfortunately  all  are  not  so  thoughtful. 
For  my  part  I  have  only  had  the  good  fortune  to  live  at  one  place 
where  the  head  gardener  did  not  want  the  young  men  to  work  overtime 
without  paying  them  for  doing  so,  and  also  saw  that  they  were  comfort¬ 
able  in  the  bothy.  He  liked  to  see  them  thoroughly  enjoy  themselves 
when  the  day's  work  was  done  with  a  game  of  cricket,  football,  or  any 
kind  of  amusement ;  and  it  was  no  trouble  for  him  to  get  them  to  put 
on  an  extra  spurt  when  very  busy.  At  another  place  I  lived  at,  as  soon 
as  the  days  were  long  enough  to  work  an  hour  overtime,  out  we  had  to 
go  and  work  till  dark  with  the  exception  of  Saturday,  on  which  day 
there  was  so  much  set  out,  that  with  all  the  “spurts  ”  the  young  men 
were  capable  of  putting  on,  they  could  not  manage  to  get  done  till  an 
hour  or  so  after  the  proper  time  of  leaving  off,  and  no  extra  pay  what¬ 
ever  was  allowed.  If  we  did  not  care  to  do  it — well,  the  one  who 
objected  could  simply  make  room  for  someone  else,  and  that  has  been 
more  or  less  the  rule  with  four  or  five  other  head  gardeners  I  have  lived 
with. 
Some  of  the  places  where  young  gardeners  have  to  make  their  home 
for  the  time  being  are  very  bad  indeed,  with  only  a  boy  (or  not  that  in 
some  establishments)  to  do  the  cooking  and  other  work  of  the  bothy, 
which  is  most  unsatisfactory,  for  what  can  a  boy  know  about  such  work? 
I  think  that  every  bothy  ought  to  be  provided  with  a  woman  to  do  all 
the  necessary  cooking  and  cleaning. 
Half  holiday  would  indeed  be  a  great  boon,  but  I  think  the  majority 
of  young  gardeners  would  be  satisfied  if  they  had  the  other  evenings  to 
themselves,  with  half  a  day’s  holiday  given  them  occasionally  (without 
asking)  to  go  to  flower  shows,  cricket  and  football  matches,  or  to  see 
round  other  places,  with  a  week  or  so  holiday  in  the  summer  or  autumn. 
I  notice  in  the  majority  of  places  the  head  gardener  likes  such  amuse¬ 
ments  as  stated  above,  and  sauce  that  is  good  for  the  goose  is  also  good 
for  the  gander.  If  head  gardeners  would  study  young  men’s  comfort 
and  little  enjoyments  more  they  would  get  repaid  by  the  latter  taking 
more  interest  in  their  work,  and  any  extra  duties  that  occurred  would 
be  done  willingly.— Another  Subordinate. 
