My dear Darwin

I am extremely puzzled how to advise about Scott.¹ As a rule in such cases the “least said the soonest mended,” I wish to Heavens I had asked Balfour before—² you must not on any account let him know of our having had any communication with Balfour. he would put B. down as his enemy at once & there might be the devil to pay.— You cannot conceive what trouble men of Scotts temperament give us. One is now threatening us with an action for not giving him a good enough character, on this very ground of sulky pig-headed celtic disposition. A capital young gardener he is too—clever, well informed, & an excellent worker— the wretch has cost me hours of time & thought, advice & warning—all to no purpose   he is very grateful to me personally & has not given me a word of offence, nor anything but thanks for my efforts to reform him—but I have not moved him one inch to better courses, & his conduct has been disgraceful. & after kicking up a precious row, he leaves us with a threat.—³ Then again pray consider (what we often have to) if you do take & employ him for 2 years, what is he to do after that?⁴—when he will have lost much of his utilitarian gardening skill. I hope the poor fellow is not married.⁵

Do pray take care, of all classes of men Gardeners are the most troublesome I ever had dealings with—what with their superficial knowlged, tempers, the conflict of science & practice in their brains, conceit & tyrannical conduct to those under them— they do require very careful treatment.⁶

My dear friend this is a wretched letter to send you.— I will not cease to think if anything could possibly turn up for Scott— The only thing I can think of is a Nursery Garden of his own, but then he would never make it pay!

Ever yrs affec | J D Hooker.

Rolleston wrote the Review of Schleiden⁷