The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-09-09
CONTRARINEsS OF THE GARDENER.
Case. Of Obstinacy That Seem TO Come From
Association with Flowers.

According 70 those who have had experience
in the matter there is something about a gar
dener's work that develops contrariness. To
put Il plainly. the professional gardener Ia apt
TO be- obstinate. He has supreme faith in his
own Judgment. and his Judgment is likely to
run counter 10 that Of his employer. And he is
absolutely independent as determined TO have
his own way as any. operate. star.
One of the wealthy families ~ Milw aukee
has a gardener. and he is controlled only by
diplomacy. IT the head Of the household de-
cldes that lie wants anything in particular
on his grounds he goes To the principal florist
Of the city and takes him into his, confidence:
THE next time my gardener Is in here
he says, tell him ! drop ed in and left an order
that We were 10 have no more geraniums on the
and tired Of them and instructed YOU. under no
circumstances. To send me any more. no matter
what he might say; that he can ,order, anything
else he may want, but positively will not have
any geraniums. especially the deep red ones"
Then when the gardener calls. as he does with
considerable regularity. he is Informed that
there is a stop order on, geraniums. He be-
comes excited immediately.
Why. he eNclalns. "seraniums are the only
things to border that new walk | have Just laid
out. I've got 10 have them. The old man
doesn't know what he wants anyway, just
YOU send me up some Of those deep red gera-
NUNS and III fix it all right with him"
And so the employer gets what he wants.
II non he h had ordered .o. SegspiUm sIs the gardener
ha. an cSieq;iv% and beautiful place a. Mad
l-tu. WI NV hhN a. y " ~
aud the Swede has all the characteristics of
the Milwaukee man. He l. contrary by ma
ture. His employer thought a certain tree
ought 10 be cut down. and suggested II 10 thu
gardener. but the latter wouldn't hear Of II,
He insisted that the tree was just where 10
ought 10 he and added to the attractiveness
of the place. There was many n long argu-
ment over the question. and finally the EN-
but the gardener simply ignored the order.
or course he might have been discharged. hut
good gardeners are hard TO find. and. besides,
u IL a..aFfaA that fhaN y ant IN hn ultEa L.
this respect. Consequently nothing would
be gained by n change. So the owner Of tho
place undertook to gain the desired end by
diplomacy,
Il guess YOU re right. he said to the gardener
one day. That tree does add To the beauty
OF the place. and II ought TO remain. I'm glad
you didn't cut II down.
The gardener shook hs head doubtfully. hut
said nothing The next day his employer
again referred To the tree and expressed his
gratifca ton that his orders had not been car
ried out Then the gardener suggested that
II was out Of place and that some Of the branches
we're dead anyway lie thought perhaps ~
ought to he removed. The employer disputed
this and the gardener became i~nsi-tent, There
wa, no Use letting one tree spoil the place. he
said
Well, I like H.. asserted the owner II
want II 10 remain where u is
The argument Wa resumed every day for
n week. and finally The employ or said In \ dis
about II, blt ] think IL ought To h" lei alone
The next da' the tree wa cut down.
Thi. gardener. nv the Nav. ha~ some anus
inc ideas q. 10 III" English language. He
spoke one day NJ Watering a flower bed with
the hoe on another occasion he spoke of tho
hose, and on still another ut m" hose. IL
up Then u Wa discovered that ono length
NJ the garden hose was The hoe. two lengths
ne hose. and any thing more than uAt vss
hoses.