STATUS OF NURSERYMEN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19700, 29 January 1926, Page 7

STATUS OF NURSERYMEN

NEED FOR SCIENTIFIC EDUCATION. DISCUSSION AT HORTICULTURAL CONFERENCE. Regarding the status of nurserymen, a report was presented stating that the nursery - men had in the hands 'of a committee the matter of taking steps to secure a definite status for the profession, but it was resolved in view of the educational proposals of the institute which, it was understood, covered a definite status for all horticulturlists on the basis of theoretical knowledge and experience to leave the matter in the hands of the institute and support its efforts in every way. Mr Tannock stated that the local council had considered the matter very carefully, and had decided that Mr Christie and he should draw up some sort of scheme for the practical training of gardeners. At a recent conference of nurserymen, gardeners, and others at a meeting of the Conciliation Council the question of the employment of apprentices was completely dropped. It they were going to carry on the profession they must have apprentices to take the place of those who went out, and to allow for the expansion of horticulture. He had had experience of two different methods of training. At ivew the method was to take a man with five years’ previous experience and who had taken a course in scientific garden ing or horticulture or the sciences related thereto. If they had facilities they could give practically the same training in New Zealand as at Kew. Another plan would be to get apprentices from the district nigh schools or the secondary high schools and give them a training whereby they would spend half their time in practical work and the other half in theoretical work. ho amount of scientific education would make a man a gardener unless he had the practical knowledge. , He would suggest that the institute should recommend that for the training of practical gardeners for the diploma course, not the degree course, they should have a five years’ course, part of that time to be devoted to practical work and part to lectures and scientific worr.. That could be done only in conjunction with, a properly equipped garden, where all the different practical methods v.-ere taught. That brought them back to the need for the establishment of botanic gardens. He thought that in Dunedin they cbuld manage very well to tram, say. five of six, or oven a dozen gardeners at a time. That would mean turning out one or two every year. AVith a little assistance they could work in conjunction with the University classes and the Technical Colleges and bring up some scheme wmcli would be suitable for working up to the diploma of horticulture. If they could get a gardening course established in each of the four centres and could get some assistance from the 'Government, he thought that a suitable course could be arranged. Mr Christie said the nurserymens standpoint was a little different from what Mr Tannock had suggested. The nursery profession was not up to the high standard which it should occupy, and if it -were to come up to the standard of the other professions they must have some sort of education for their sons and daughters. it a scheme were put forward in the way suggested and could be enlarged upon in each centre where there was a botanic garden to provide for training, he thought something would be done to establish their business on a proper basis. Some people set up as landscape gardeners, but they did not seem to know the ABO of the business. They must have some school where they could give landscape gardeners a proper training to enable them to como up to the required, standard. They also wanted to tram market gardeners, for whom there was a great opportunity in this country. If they were educated in a proper way he saw no reason why the trade should not be carried on by their own race and not by foreigners Mr M’Kenzie urged that they get classes started for the training of young gardeners. This question was one of the most Important In the country, but they had been backing and filling In regard to It for about three years. Young men who wished to learn gardening had no opportunity of learning It. He would like to see a committee of practical men from the Institute go into the question right away and report to the next annual meeting. The President remarked that In spite or persistent efforts to induce the Government to give scientific training In the dairy Industry, which was one of the most Important in New Zealand, nothing had been done, everything being left to private enterprise. It was hoped, however, that the Government would become seized of the importance of scientific training In that industry. Young people In this country had no chance of getting a proper training in a profession that was so absolutely needed. He was convinced that horticultural education was badly needed in this country. Thousands of pounds were sent out of the country quite needlessly. In view of the climate and soil New Zealand could become an exporting country instead of an importing country, but that was impossible unless they had men who were scientifically trained. He thought they should appeal to the new Minister of Agriculture to see if they could get further than they had got with Mr Nosworthy. The speaker quoted from the report of the special committee on horticultural education presented at the last annual conference:— “In order that the New Zealand Institute cf Horticulture might function in this regard an Act of Parliament would be required. We therefore advise that a special committee be set up by the institute to consider the whole mailer, and if the conclusion is reached that the best step in the interests of horticulture would bo for the institute to grant diplomas, then the same committee should fully investigate the financial aspects of the caoe. If it appeared certain that the financial obligations could he met, and this would, in part depend upon the number of students sitting for the examinations, then steps should be taken for procuring an Act ol Parliament. Evidently the matter is principally one of finance, and sufficient funds must be assured before taking the final step. It is premature to draw up a provisional syllabus of the requirements for the diplomas, but a few suggestions seem required. These are as follows: —(1) The candidate shou’d produce a certificate from the headmaster of the school he had attended that he had passed the highest standard with credit and that he oould write good English. We do not think that passing the matriculation examination is necessary, but a pass in English and agriculture (omitting dairy science) might quite well be demanded together with the general paper in natural science. (2) The candidate should be employed in e, botanic garden, etc., as already defined, for at least four years preceding his final examination. During those years he should keep a diary not only detailing his daily horticultural experience, but giving an account of what he had observed in the gardens, etc., of the neighbourhood and in its natural and introduced vegetation, and telling also of the horticultural books and periodicals ho had read, and the horticultural shows he had attended. These diaries we strongly recommend should be presented yearly to the Examining Board, and its report would decide if the year would count as one of the four, or if the time should he extended.—He moved that it be a recommendation to the executive to make recommendations to the Minister of Agriculture and see if some steps could be taken in the direction indicated by the discussion that morning. Mr Campbell said it was now a question of the full committee getting together. * If the ideas placed before the conference were committed to paper and a full meeting of the committee were called, with Mr Tannock as chairman, some further progress could be effected. A start must be made, and ho thought that something could be done at a general meeting of the committee. At a later stage of the proceedings Mr Tannodk moved —'“That this mid-summer conference of the Now Zealand Institute of Horticulture approves of the general principles laid down in the 1925 report of the Educational Committee, and we further place on record our views that for the effective carrying out of the suggestions contained in the a fore-mentioned report a national botanic garden in a suitable centre, where practical training in horticulture may bo given, is absolutely necessary; that this conference respectfully urges upon the Educational Committee the desirability of- calling a. full meeting of the committee in.Welliiigton at a time considered most suitable for distant members to be present.” The motion, which was seconded by Mr Christie, was carried unanimously.