SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE,  March  10,  1301. 
A  GARDENER’S  BOOKSHELF. 
With  Selections  of  Twelve  **  Best  Books'*  for  a  Gardener's  Library. 
Probably  to  no  otber  class  of  men  in  an  equal  state  of  life 
is  a  well-fiirnislied  l)ool\.slH'lf  so  much  of  a  necessity  as  to 
gardeners.  It  requires  no  originality  of  tbougbt  to  discoveiq 
however,  that  there  are  at  present  e.xisting  in  the  horticultiual 
raidi.s  many  men  who  view  with  iddicule  and  scorn  those  persons 
who  devote  any  or  all  of  their  spare  liouis  to  hook  reading. 
The.se  unreading  gardeners  are  by  no  means  backward  in  voicing 
their  anti-hook  principles,  always,  uidiappily,  in  such  a  tone  and 
manner  as  to  leave  their  listeners  to  infer  that  only  those  who 
fail  to  grasp  the  practice,  l)ut  grab  pagerly  at  the  theory  of 
horticidture,  have  any  need  to  become  incurable  hookwoims. 
^'o  hear  these  happy  men,  one  might  conclude  that  they  are  so 
lai'gely  pos<>essed  of  ob.servation,  so  retentive  of  its  manifold 
lessons,  and  so  replete  with  a  love  and  a  knowledge  of  Nature, 
that  they  have  hut  to  .step  into  the  garden  when  lo !  and  behold, 
her  riches  are  at  once  comprehended.  Anything  so  prosaic  as 
a  hook  is  entirely  foreign  to  their  requirements.  This  type  of 
critic  is  legion,  ior^no  reader  of  tin's  letter  will  fail  to  have 
the  ac(|uaintance  of  at  least  one. 
A  per.son  who  is  so  well-versed  in  the  principles  and  practice 
of  his  profession  that  he  can  learn  nothing  from  a  hook  or  an 
article  written  by  a  peison  of  experience,  is  undoubtedly  a 
phenomenon.  As  to  the  real  existence  of  such  a  being,  how¬ 
ever,  Ave  need  give  the  matter  no  serious  consideration.  Readers 
of  the.se  notes  will  agree  with  me  that  it  is  not  only  useful 
hut  highly  commendable,  and,  in  fact,  imperative,  that  a  young 
gardener  .should  cultivate  a  taste  for  reading,  for  by  this  means 
he  becomes  acquainted  rvith  the  experience  of  the  most  success¬ 
ful  growers,  who  are  usually  found  to  scatter  broadcast  the 
secrets  of  their  success  with  a  prodigality  which  only  a  deep 
love  for  the  profession  can  extenuate. 
Without  ])rolonging  my  essay  with  the  introduction  of  the 
be.st  system  of  reading  (which  well  de, serves  an  aiticle  to  itself), 
I  w  ill  deal  exclusively  with  the  selection  of  books  w  hich  go  to 
form  a  useful  horticultural  bookshelf.  It  will,  of  course,  he 
understood  that  books  appt'rtaining  to  gardeniirg,  or  elementary 
works  on  any  of  the  various  sciences  .so  clo.sely  connected  witb 
horticulture,  will  hugely  predominate.  This  is,  of  course,  as  it 
should  be. 
No  bookslndf,  then,  is  comidete  w  ithout  a.  copy  of  ‘‘  Thomp¬ 
son  s  Gardener’s  Assi.stant,”  the  latest  edition  of  which  is  in 
every  way  up-to-date.  This  can  be  procured  on  a  plan  which 
is  knoAvn  to  all  gardenei's,  its  total  cost  being  JL2  8s. 
Then  again,  there  is  the  “  Dictionai-y  of  Gardening” 
(Nicholson),  total  cost  somewhere  about  £d.  Without  going  so 
far  as  to  affii-m  that  this  work  is  indispensal)le,  I  will,  lioweAwr, 
suggest  that  no  gardener  who  has  a  love  of  his  work,  and  is 
desirous  of  gaining  knowledge  in  every  possil)le  way,  will  fail 
to  make  such  sacrifices  as  are  necessary  to  piocurc  it. 
Another  excellent  standard  woi  k  is  Wright’s  “  Fruit  Growers’ 
Guide,”  whilst  foi'  Vine  cultuie  no  book  has  yet  been  published 
which  beats  “  Vines  and  Vine  Culture,”  by  Barron.  Other 
smaller  works,  limited  each  to  a  special  subject,  are  numerous, 
and  (he  choice  had  l)etter  be  hdt  to  individual  reciuirements. 
Next  as  to  a  few  elementary  works  on  tbc  various  .sciences 
,‘o  closely  related  to  gardening,  to  Avit,  botany,  chemistry, 
geology,  geometry,  mensuration,  Ac.,  a  nice  choice  may  be  made 
according  to  imlividual  tendencies  by  glancing  at  jMacmillan 
and  Co.’s  catalogue. 
Noav  it  is  certain  that  not  even  a  gardener  can  devot(A  him¬ 
self  solely  to  the  study  of  sciences  aiApeitaiuing  to  his  pro¬ 
fession.  His  mind  Avill  need  divertisement,  and  this  may  be 
afforded  by  purcliasing  .some  standard  Avorks  of  fiction,  such  as 
the  novels' of  Dickens  and  Scott,  and  some,  historical  Avorks  or 
f'ssays,  such  as  Macaulay’s.  Thes:e  books  ar(A  uoav  .so  cheaply 
pid)lished  that  there  can  be  no  excuse  for  not  obtaining  them. 
Tbo.se  gaideners  also  aaIio  liv<‘  in  or  around  Fdiubuigh  are  much 
to  1)0  envied  on  this  score,  for  there  is,  I  think,  no  city  in  the 
two  kingdoms  Avherc  books  are  sold  second-hand  at  so  cheap  a 
late. 
iManv  young  men  excuse  tluMiiseh'es  from  olitiiining  books  on 
the  plea  tbat  AA'lien  moving  from  place  to  plac<>  they  are  cumber¬ 
some  and  entail  expense.  This  excu.se  is  a  flimsy  one,  for  it  is 
(piite  ea.sy  to  pack  tbem  in  :i,  separate  AAOodeu  box  and  de.spatch 
at  little  expen.se.  l)y  goods  train.  I  hope  every  young  man  aa  ho 
reads  this  letter  aa'III  make*  up  his  mind  to  form  for  himself 
bookshelf,  and,  Avhat  is  more  nece.ssary,  not  fail  to  make  I 
frequent  use  of  it.~WM.  Roavles,  The  Gardens,  Tranby  Croft,  j 
Hull.  ‘ 
Books  are  to  be  looki'd  upon  as  acct's.sories  to  piactice. 
From  them  Ave  gain  a  w  ich)  ra^ige  of  idc'as  and  expt'riences. 
These  experiences  are  to  be  taken  as  the  r('sults  of  the  intimacy 
AA  ftli  Nature  and  the  records  of  ob.sm'vations  made  by  our  con¬ 
temporaries  or  predecessoi’s.  It  is  greatly  to  the  disadvantage' 
of  the  practice  of  horticulture,  and  to  the  knoAvledge  of  tlu' 
men  engaged  in  this  calling,  that  these  books  are  not  read  and 
•studied  more.  If  a  man  has  investigated  and  di.scovered,  and 
his  Avork  goes  unnoticed,  is  the  progre.ss  of  horticulture  not 
hindered?  On  the  other  hand,  if  that  man’s  discoveries  are 
tested  and  not  found  Avanting,  they  form  a  starting  point  for 
more  advanced  prosecution  in  the  same  directions.  Lastly, 
Avhile  all  of  us  are  anxious  to  see  horticulture  flourish,  and 
bring  .social  betterment  to  the  profe.ssional  gardener,  is  there 
much  hope  that  those  men  are  likely  to  ensure  respect  Avho 
choose  to  remain  merely  labourers,  for  the  man  Avho  has  little 
or  no  understanding  of  his  craft- literature  is  only  a  skilled 
labourer,  no  matter  what  title  he  may  a.ssume.  It  is  for  tlu'se 
reasons  that  we  Avelcome  and  support  the  propo.sal  mado  by 
Mr.  OAAen  Tbomas,  that  young  men,  in  order  to  be  eligible  as 
members  of  tbe  coming  National  Gardener.s’  Association,  shoidd 
be  required  to  ])a.ss  an  examination  in  the  elementary 
theoretical  principles  of  horticulture,  as  aacII  as  in  the  juactical. 
In  order  to  bring  forAAard  certain  useful  and  reliable  books 
to  the  notice  of  those  aa  ho  are  not  satisfied  in  their  oAvn  mind 
as  to  AA-liat  are  the  best  out  of  all  the  hundreds  that  are  pub¬ 
lished,  the  editors  invited  a  fcAV  contributors  to  name  each  the 
dozen  they  considered  the  best.  We  must  admit  the  ta.sk  is 
difficult,  and  in  draAA  ing  up  a  list  of  our  oaa  n  Ave  have  found  it 
advisable  to  name  eight  preliminary  books  for  the  accejitance 
of  probationers  up  to  their  third  or  fourth  year  of  training. 
It  is  then  that  they  Aiill  be  learning  the  practical  part  of 
gardening  (both  outdoor  and  in,  let  us  hope),  and  their  even¬ 
ings  ought  to  be  spent  in  acquiring  Avhat  guidance  and  equip¬ 
ment  science  can  give. 
Beuinnehs’  List. 
“Cassell’s  Dictionary  of  (iardening,”  21s.  (Cassell  and  Co.).  This  AA'ill 
serve  as  a  reference  Avork,  and  is  A'cry  necessary. 
“Culture  of  Vegetables  and  KloAvers,”  5s.  (Sutton  and  Sons).  A  guide 
to  tlie  culture  of  vegetables,  annuals,  bulbs;  a  year’s  Avork  in  tbe 
garden;  rotation  of  crops;  chemistry  of  the  garden  ;  diseases 
and  insects. 
“  Pictorial  Practical  Fruit  CroAving,”  Is.  (Cjissell  and  Co.). 
“  Primer  of  Botany”  (Macmillan). 
“Nuttall’s  (or  other)  .Standard  Dictionary,”  Avhich  is  seldom  found  in 
bot  hies. 
“  Pendlebnry’s  Aritbnu'tic  and  Mensuration.” 
“ .lolin’s  FloAvers  of  tbe  Field.” 
“  Jolmstone’s  I’hysical  and  Descriptive  Geography,”  Avith  atlas. 
Tavelve  Hefeiience  and  Text-books. 
Tbe  folloAving  books  are,  recomim'nded  for  journeymen, 
foremen,  or  lu'ad  gardeners.  If  only  one  comph'te  Avork  can  lie 
afforded,  h't  tbe  choice  bi'  “Thompson’s  Gardeners’  Assistant” 
(six  volumes,  8s.  (-ach),  Avbich  covers  the  whole  field  of  iiractical 
liorticulture,  is  thoiougbly  up-to-date,  :iud  can  b)'  obtained  by 
easy  instalments  it  the  toDd  sum  cannot  b('  paid  straight  aAvay. 
It  is  a  book  the  young  gardener  should  set  his  mind  upon. 
1  “  rhoni|)Son’s  (iardem'r’s  Assistant”  ((iresham  Publishing  Co., 
Soutbampten  Sfret't,  .Strand,  W.C. 
2  l)ictioiuirv  uf  (C-iissclI),  or  (ScIiIicUaS  *  Mtiiiual  ol 
Forestry.” 
3  “.Milner’s  Landscape  Gardening. 
4  “Amherst’s  Ilistoiy  of  Gardening,”  21s. 
5  “  Practical  (tuide  to  Garden  Plants  and  best  Kinds  of  I  nuts  and 
Vegetables”  (Longmans  and  Co.,  21s.). 
6  “Trees  .and  Shrubs”  (Country  Life  Library). 
7  “The  Fruit  Garden  (indoor  and  out) ”  (Country  Life  Ijibrary,  ^tls.). 
8  Griffiths’  “Treatise  on  Manures  ’’(Whittaker  and  tlo.,  Loudon, 
7s.  6d.). 
9  “  Dise.ases  of  Plants,”  5s.  (DuckAvorth  and  (  o.). 
10  “  .Strasburger’s  Text  Book  ol  Botany,”  16s.  , 
11  “Heating  by  Hot  Water,”  2s.  6d.  (Crosby,  l.ockAvood,  and  Son,  7, 
1  Stationers’ Hall  Court,  Ludgate  Hill), 
!  12  “  Vilmoriii’s  ^'egelable  Garden.” 
To  tho.sc'  in  tlu'  ranks  of  commercial  horl  iculliire  there  are 
series  of  market  ganh'iiiiig  books  obtainable  tlii'ougli  Colling 
i-idge,  liondon  ;  or  Iho  Salisbury  Si'rii's  from  Dor.si't  Buildings. 
Again,  specialists  may  not  de.sire  more  than  a  IVav  books  Avbieb 
