These days of hot and suddenly changing temperature are trying to the tempers of gardeners and employers. Some have stood the test so far, but many have not. Trials have come to all, the bugs, "the inevitable foes "have appeared with droughts in parts of the western country, and long continued rains on some parts of the Atlantic seaboard have washed away the plants. All this is bad and discouraging, but not enough to dishearten the busy man, fond of a garden, but without the time to give it superintendence, who has to trust to his hired gardeners. Happy is he if they prove satisfactory ! This is the most discouraging part of many a man's endeavors. He does not grudge the expenditure of his money, and is willing to submit to fate in the contest with weeds, climate, dis-eases and insect foes, knowing that his case is no worse than others; but the human element is more than he can contend against. This course alone brings more country places into the real estate agent's hands than any other. Could it be removed, their value about all our cities would soon be doubled. Those who have had to contend with indifferent, disobliging and careless gardeners alone know the trial they are.

They can destroy more cherished plans and plants than all other causes combined, and do it in a way to escape detection. They are the men who bring their craft into disrepute, and in the end injure themselves, their employers and all other gardeners. Some men are so addicted to one form of gardening, as for instance ribbon-gardening, that they will give no attention to other things. If their employer wants a little natural beauty and grace in some way, they will pretend to acquiesce, but see to it that their pretended efforts always result in failure and are left alone to pursue the work they like to do, unless their employer gets tired of the whole, and gets rid of them and their hobby together.

This explains why gardeners who are painstaking and obliging retain their places and do better than those who are superior in skill but are disagreeable on a gentleman's place. The gardener is so important to the domestic concerns of a family that his personality is of more consequence than almost anyone on the place.

Gardeners have their trials no less than their employers, who are often unreasonable and inconsiderate, but more commonly are accustomed to hiring men and know a good one when they get him. Most of us know places where none of the help remain for any great length of time, and it seems as if there must be something radically wrong in the management; but these places are exceptional. A gardener without a good temper and an obliging disposition had better go into some other vocation rather than make himself a temporary obstruction on any country place, for he will not be long wanted. - J. D. W.