The syllabus of the Royal Horticultural Society will be taken
Elementary principles on which horticultural practice is based.—Soils, good and bad; their mineral composition; chemical nature of fertilisers and their respective values. The physiological values of water, heat, and air in plant growth. The structure of seeds and their modes of germination; the chemical phenomena of germination; the movements of seedlings and the uses of them. The functions of roots; their anatomical structure; hindrances to healthy root-action and their remedies. The uses of stems and branches; the anatomical structure of ordinary dicotyledonous and of a monocotyledonous stem. The physiological functions of leaves, and the action of light upon them. The structure of tubers and other subterranean stems; the structure of bulbs and buds; the general phenomena of vegetative multiplication. The physiological processes undergone in growth and development; the structure of an active cell, and the process of cell-division and the formation of tissues. The structure of flower-buds and of flowers; the methods of pollination, natural and artificial. The process of impregnation of the ovule, and the formation of embryo and endosperm. The classification and description of fruits; the changes and development during ripening. The general characters of the commoner families of plants in cultivation. The origin of species.
Horticultural operations and practice.—Elements of surveying and landscape gardening. Choice of site for garden. Description and use of implements under each head. Operations connected with the cultivation of the land, with explanations and illustrations of good and bad methods; digging and trenching; draining, hoeing, stirring the soil, and weeding; watering; preparation of seed beds; rolling and raking, sowing, transplanting and thinning; potting, planting; aspects, positions, and shelter; staking; earthing and blanching, etc. Propagation, elementary principles; cuttings, buddings and grafting, stocks used, layering, division, branch pruning, root pruning; old and young trees and bushes. Training. Fruit culture: Open air and under glass; small fruits; apples and pears; stone fruits; gathering and storing; packing and marketing. General knowledge of fruits, and selection of varieties. Vegetable culture: tubers and roots; green vegetables; fruit and seeds; rotation of crops, and selection of varieties. Flower culture, outside and under glass. Manures and their application. Improvement of plants by cross-breeding, hybridisation and selection. Arboriculture: trees and shrubs and their culture. Insect and Fungus pests; prevention and treatment.
Examination.—Royal Horticultural Society in April.
PARTICULARS REGARDING SCHOOL GARDENS AT SCHOOLS MAINTAINED BY THE LONDON COUNTY COUNCIL
There are at present a number of schools maintained by the Council where gardens exist. As a rule these gardens are kept in condition by the caretaker or by the teachers and pupils. In such cases it is the practice to allow an annual expenditure in respect of the garden, the amount varying from 10s. to £2. In one case, namely, Bailey’s Lane Mixed School, South Tottenham, an annual expenditure of £3 3s. is allowed, but at this school cottage gardening is taken as a grant-earning subject, the Head Master being recognised as a qualified teacher by the Board of Education.
With this exception the gardens are used for the purposes of instruction in botany and nature study.
Special teachers are not engaged for the purpose of giving instruction in gardening.
The Council has at present under consideration the general question of the formation and maintenance of gardens in certain schools, and it is proposed that all work in connection therewith shall be carried out by a staff of gardeners employed by the Council, and that the gardens shall be utilised for the purpose of instruction of the pupils in nature study by the teachers on the staff.