334 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
April  21,  1S04. 
nni'tured  within  us,  which  is  one  of  the  chief  requirements  in  the 
composition  of  a  business  mind. 
Perhaps  it  would  have  appealed  more  strongly  to  those  r-os- 
se.ssed  of  a  conservative,  or  shall  we  say  cynical,  mind,  if  this 
leader  had  appeared  piior  to  the  New  Year,  so  that  they  could 
have  commenced  their  daily  notes  with  the  first  day  of  the 
calendar;  but  no  su.ch  sentimental  argument  need  weigh  with 
practical  gardeners,  for  with  them  the  year,  s^jeaking  in  a 
general  way,  can  hardly  l)e  said  to  commence  much  before 
March,  and  it  is  most  certainly  better  to  start  the.  task  at  an 
untimely  pei’iod  than  to  neglect  it  entirely. 
In  the  finst  place,  one  need  not  advise  that  a  ready-arransred 
diary  be  bought.  In  the  shop  diaries  a  given  space  is  allotted 
ior  each  day — it  may  be  a  page,  oirit  may  be  only  a  few  lines, 
this  depending  mainly  on  the  price — but  this  arrangement  is  not 
likely  to  appeal  .strongly  to  the  gardener,  who  may  one  day  find 
the.  space  allotted  insufficient  to  contain  the  briefest  sjmopsis  of 
his  work,  whilst  on  the  following  he  might  be  in  the  contrary 
position  of  being  unable  to  fill  the  space. 
Now,  in  turning  over  the  pages  of  a  note-book,  we  care  not 
how  lacking  a  man  may  be  in  method,  he  will  certainly  be  ill- 
sati.s'fied  on  finding  numerous  blank  spaces,  relieved  at  times 
by  an  undue  overcrowding  of  words,  so  that,  perhaps  in  his 
endeavour  to  keep  within  the  specified  bounds,  the  gardener 
Avill  at  some  times  be  compelled  to  forego  checking  matters 
which  it  is  most  desirable  to  note,  and  at  others  he  will  rack 
his  brains  to  find  sufficient  with  which  to  fill  the  space,  with 
the  inevitable  consequence  that  he  will  di.scontinue  the 
endeavour. 
It  is  principally,  then,  on  the  score  of  tidiness  and  con¬ 
venience  that  one  advises  that  an  ordinary  notebook  be  pro¬ 
cured,  of  Avhatever  size  is  considered  most  convenient,  but  pre¬ 
ferably  of  a  size  sufficient  to  contain  the  record  of  two  or  three 
years.  Of  course,  such  a  volume  cannot  well  be  carried  in  the 
coat  pocket,  nor  is  it  so  intended.  In  addition  to  this  book, 
a  smaller  one  should  be  kept  in  the  pocket,  .so  that  all  items  of 
importance  may  be  duly  jotted  down  and  transferi-ed  to  tlie 
larger  book  at  a  convenient  time.  In  no  ca.se  should  more  than 
two  days  be  allowed  to  elapse  without  jotting  the  work  down 
in  the  .small  book,  otherwise  one  is  likely  to  forget  to  note  small 
items  which  it  is  wished  to  remember. 
Leave  a  margin  of  about  an  inch  at  the  left  .side  of  each  page. 
Into  this  margin  may  be  allowed  to  project  out  the  date,  which 
may  be  underlined  to  thus  render  it  more  conspicuous  than  the 
text.  Follow  on,  putting  down  each  item  of  the  day’s  work  in 
as  brief,  concise,  yet  undei’standable  language  as  po.ssible.  It  is 
an  excellent  plan  to  have  at  hand  inks  of  various  colours,  to  wit, 
}ed,  green,  blue,  and  black,  in  which  to  underline  or  write  any 
part  of  the  diary  which  it  is  desired  .should  catch  the  eye  at  a 
glance.  For  instance,  in  recording  the  compost  u.sed  for  a 
plant,  that  might  be  undeidined  with  green,  names  of  good 
varieties  of  fruits,  vegetables,  or  flowers  with  blue,  and  facts 
which  it  is  particularly  desired  to  remember  (such  as  the  date  of 
cutting  the  first  Grapes)  could  be  similarly  treated  with  red 
ink.  Number  the  pages  as  the  work  proceeds,  and  have  at  hand 
at  each  entry  some  notepaper  on  which  to  jot  down  the  title  of 
each  subject  dealt  v  ith,  followed  by  the  number  of  the  page  on 
which  such  an  entry  is  to  be  found.  This  should,  when  nearing 
the  end  of  the  volume,  be  cast  into  alphabetical  order,  and  will 
serve  as  an  index,  which,  in  conjunction  with  the  prominence 
given  to  certain  items  in  the  text  by  the  employment  of  coloured 
inks,  should  enable  the  owner  to  refer  quickly  to  any  matter 
he  may  wish  to  consult. 
To  render  a  diary  a  complete  and  useful  record  of  the  place, 
there  are  many  facts,  small  in  themselves,  which  .should  not  fail 
to  be  noted.  It  is  understood  that  all  the  leading  horticultural 
Avork  of  the  day  .should  receive  primary  consideration,  but  this 
inu.st  not  be  permitted  to  wholly  monopolise  the  space  at  disposal, 
riiei'e  are  other  matters  which  it  is  almo.st  equally  important 
to  record.  Meteorological  observations  should  as  far  as  po.ssib]e 
be  duly  noted,  and,  although  there  may  be  no  facility  for 
making  them  of  an  elaborate  nature,  it  is  possible  to  obtain 
tbe  maximum  and  minimum  of  the  thermometer  and  the  amount 
of  rainfall  in  nearly  every  place,  also  the  general  character  of 
the  day’s  weather,  so  that,  in  referring  back  over  the  diary,  the 
relation  of  the  Aveather  to  the  operations  performed  may  be 
clearly  adduced.  Other  matters  Avorthy  of  noting  are  the  daily 
amount  of  produce  taken  to  the  hall ;  the  amount,  approxi¬ 
mate  or  exact,  of  the  fuel  used,  the  heat  maintained,  periods  of 
floAvering,  and  fruiting  of  plants,  trees,  and  shrubs,  and  endle.ss 
other  matters  Avhich  aamU  readily  suggest  themselves  to  those 
Avho  are  really  interested  in  the  Avork. 
At  the  expiration  of  each  year  it  is  strongly  advised  that  an 
analysis  be  made.  This  should  be  at  once  brief  and  exact,  and 
should  trace  in  general  outline  the  career  of  each  species  of  plant 
in  monthly  rotation,  likeAvise  the  kind  and  quantity  of  manure 
Ai.sed,  the  rotation  of  the  crops,  the  average  temperatui’e  and 
rainfall,  and  as  far  as  possible  the  amount  of  seed  soAvn  and 
pi'oduce  idtimately  cut,  and  the  extent  of  the  labour  expended 
on  it.  In  itself  this  Avill  be  found  a  tedious  and  perhaps  difficult 
Avork,  but  one  at  the  same  time  highly  calculated  to  nurture  in 
us  a  depth  of  thought,  and  a  desire  to  plunge,  as  it  Avere,  beneath 
the  surface  of  things;  and,  although  the  matters  that  have 
been  named  above  may  not  be  adduced  Avith  any  real  exactitude, 
it  Avill  readily  lie  alloAved  that  the  more  exhaustive  our  notes,  so 
much  the  nearer  Avill  our  deductions  approach  correctness. 
The  diary,  then,  should  be  made  as  copious  and  as  extensiA’c 
and  complete  as  pos.sible,  and,  if  conducted  on  the  lines  Avhich 
Ave  have  endeavoured  to  indicate,  should  produce  order  out  of 
chaos,  and  form  a  Amlume  on  the  gardener’s  bookshelf  than 
AA  Inch  the  best  AA  ork  Avritten  could  not  prove  more  useful ;  for 
Avhile  the  latter  must  perforce  deal  Avith  culture  under  general 
circumstances,  the  diary  is  limited  in  its  application  to  tho 
particular  place,  in  Avhich  the  conditions  of  Aveather,  soil,  Ac., 
Avill  be  much  the  same  in  subsequent  years,  and  hence  call  forth 
similar  methods  of  procedure. 
It  has  been  our  AA'ish  to  point  out  the  advantages  accruing, 
from  the  simple  practice  of  diary-keeping,  and  to  exhort  those 
Avho  have  hitherto  overlooked  this  means  of  enlarging  and 
classifying  their  knoAvledge  to  take  it  up  at  once,  and  though  it 
Avill  seem  ii'ksome  for  the  first  feAv  months,  that  feeling  Avill  in 
time  AAear  off,  and,  having  once  covered  a  year  in  this  AA’ay,  we 
are  confident  no  gardener,  young  or  old,  Avill  discontinue  it. 
•“O  •O*' 
An  Irish  Agricultural  Problem. 
In  a  recent  run  by  rail  to  the  heart  of  Ulster,  Avhich,  to  let 
loose  a  rather  fine  specimen  of  the  Irish  bull,  is  the  backbone  of 
Fiin,  it  Avas  a  surprise— a  painful  surprise — to  find  hoAv  bare 
that  backbone  Avas  picked  of  its  theAvs  and  muscles,  for  it  Avas 
cliiefly  the  aged  aaIio  Avere  in  evidence  on  that  land  that  ideal 
day  for  delayed  operations,  and  those  feAV  and  far  betAA'een. 
Grand  stretches  of  agricultural  coiAiitry  lay  for  miles  on  either 
side  until  the  Mourne  Mountains  of  the  County  Doavu  loomed  up 
in  the  near  distance,  and  the  pleasantly  fertile  (or  should  be; 
gave  Avay  to  the  sterile  picturesque. 
Grandly  picturesque  as  are  the.se  IMourne  IMountains,  they 
appeared  to  u.s  in  their  still  loneliness  as  mournful  monuments, 
of  a  decaying  race ;  for — 
The  pea.sant  Avliose  lot  was  to  sow  anti  to  roap. 
The  herdsman  who  climbed  with  his  flock  to  his  stfeep, 
The  beggar  who  AAautlered  in  search  of  his  bread, 
II.aA'e  faded  away  like  the  grass  that  we  tread. 
A  closer  inspection  of  the  country  beyond  the  mountain 
chain,  Avitli  the  addition  of  some  conversation  At  ith  the  inhabi¬ 
tants,  rather  heightened  than  di.ssipated  the  idea.  Although 
no  longer  a  stranger  in  the  Green  Isle,  here  to  us  Avas  a  neAv 
country  and  a  neAV  people.  That  it  is  not  a  land  floAving  Avith 
milk  and  honey  goes  Avithout  saying,  bnt  thrice  bles.sed  as  it  is 
Avitli  distinct  climatic  advantages,  ready  and  rapid  means  of 
transit  by  rail,  road,  and  canal,  and  direct  communication  Avith 
several  seaports,  hoAV  it  is  that  the  soil  should  bear  such  unmis¬ 
takable  signs  of  poverty  is  an  economic  problem  surely  Avorth 
the  endeavour  to  solve.  Good  farming  here  apparently  does 
not  pay,  and  .starvation  of  the  land  and  the  people,  the  latter 
advisecily,  cannot  but  be  painfully  unprofitable. 
From  the  people  no  complaints  Avere  elicited,  for  these  hardy 
northmen  of  Scotch  descent,  and  of  the  old  Covenanter  type, 
are  not  given  to  garrulity.  One  ancient  Avorkman  Avas  asked 
hoAv  things  Avere  going,  and  “  Bravely  ”  Avas  the  shreAvd  reply; 
.still  another,  and  it  Avas  “Bravely”;  and  that  sums  up  the 
stoical  endurance  of  the  hardy  race.  The  Avages  of  each  Avere 
nine  shillings  per  Aveek,  and  the  maximum  rate  of  agricultural 
Avages  in  this  little  corner  of  the  great  Empire  is  tAvelve  shillings 
Aveekly.  It  is  not  a  thriving  Avage  for,  paradoxically,  a  thrifty 
people.  And  so  the  Avorld— the  farming  Avorld— Avags  in  Ulster, 
Avith  at  rare  intervals  an  outburst  of  unquenchable  patriotism 
and  perfervid  loyalty  in  vigorous  marching,  fifing,  and  drum- 
tapping. 
Farther  north  is — Avell,  the  North  Pole,  of  course,  but  Bel¬ 
fast,  the  centre  of  the  great  linen  industry,  is  far  enough  for  our 
purpose,  and  that  is  to  mention  that  its  staple,  trade  is  noAv 
threatened  Avith  the  competition  of  cheap  imports-  from  Ger¬ 
many.  \Ve  haA^e  no  desire, to  introduce  either  political,  religious, 
fiscal,  or  any  other  polemical  qAiestions,  but  aao  have  it  from  one 
AA'ho  is  better  acquainted  with  the  latter  that  our  hardy  Nortli- 
men  “  go  straight  and  true  for  IMr.  Joe’s  policy.”  HoAvever, 
Avhether  that  does  or  does  not  contain  the  elements  of  a  solution 
to  tliis  agricultural  problem,  we  dare  not  surmise  ;  bnt  whilst 
honestly  believing  there  is  life  in  the  old  land  yet,  there  are  not 
Avanting  outAvard  and  visible  signs  that  it  is  sloAAly  but  surely 
ebbing  aAvay,  and 
A  bobl  peasantry,  their  country’s  pride. 
AA'iien  once  destroyed  c.-m  neA-er  be  supplied, 
—  K.,  Dublin. 
