GARDENER

From 'The Dictionary of Daily Wants' (1858)

He who undertakes the profession of a gardener, takes upon himself a work of some importance, and which requires no small degree of knowledge, ingenuity, and exertion to perform well. There are few businesses which may not be learned in much less time than that of a gardener can possibly be.

It is necessary that he should have had much practice in the various parts of horticulture, and that he should possess a genius and adroitness, fitting him for making experiments, and for getting him through difficulties that the existing circumstances of untoward seasons etc., may bring him into.

He should possess a spirit of inquiry into the nature of plants and vegetation, and be acquainted with the resources of art that may be made available. The mode of growth, the pruning, the soil, the heat, and the moisture that suits particular plants, are not to be understood without a native taste, and close application of the mind.

There are few things to be done in a garden which do not require a dexterity in operation, and a nicety in selecting the proper season for doing it. A gardener should be a sort of prophet, in foreseeing what will happen under certain circumstances, and wisely cautious to provide by the most reasonable means, against contingencies.

A man cannot be a good gardener unless he be thoughtful, steady, and industrious; possessing a superior degree of sobriety and moral excellence, as well as genius, and knowledge adapted to his business. He should be modest in his manners and opinions, and ever ready to avail himself of the suggestions of others, when they are founded on experience and reason.