170 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE, 



Ave were to hear of the iitfcr failure of siicli a society, our first suspicion of 

 the cause woukl be that there had been too much of patronage and too 

 little of self-government. Working men will not have eA"crything done 

 for tlicm ; they Vv-ill not submit to be treated as chiklren or as highly 

 favoured serfs— if they Avould submit, they would not be worthy of the 

 anxieties manifested in their behalf. Hence we would say to those who 

 wish to improve the social habits of the humbler classes in their respective 

 districts, let yoiu- tone towards them be one of invitation and conciliation, 

 and, above all, be cautious how you rebuke the wayward or bestoAv your 

 gifts on the deserving. The extraordinary success which has attended the 

 efforts of Professor Henslow, at Hitcham, is the result of no obsequious 

 patronage, but of sincere English cordialitj^ the practice of conciliations 

 by Avhich confidence has been established, and the teaching more by 

 example and the dissemination of a spirit of emulation than by precepts 

 and homilies. Perhaps there are no agricultural fetes to equal those that 

 take place every year imder Professor HensloAv's direction, and those who 

 wish ^ to establish Labourers' Societies, or improve Societies already in 

 working order, cannot do better than visit Hitcham and see how matters 

 are managed there, or at least obtain from Mr. Henslow a few of his 

 amusing reports. On the 6th of last month the summer fete of the 

 laboiu-ers and mechanics took place at Hitcham, and the affair was so 

 managed as to afford matter of interest to every class of laboiu-ers, artisans, 

 and even the children of the district. Botany'has there many persevering 

 students among very humble members of the community, and the exhibi- 

 tions comprised not only agricultural and garden produce, but curiosities 

 ol ^ all kinds, so that the marquee was, for the time being, a museum of 

 objects gathered from many departments of art and nature. 



One of the best sources of iuformafion on the formation and manage- 

 ment of Labourers' Societies is contained in a shilling book, published by 

 the Messrs. Longman, entitled "Lectures on the History of England."" 

 It is a reprint of a few lectures delivered by Mr. William Longman to the 

 membei-s of the Chorleywood Associaticn, near Watford, and is prefaced 

 by a brief narrative of the author's experiments in promoting the welfare 

 of the industrious classes there. At first allotment gardens were provided ; 

 then meetings were commenced, as a means of fusing together the various 

 classes of the district ; to these features were next added prizes for the 

 best-grown vegetables and the best -managed gardens. Lectures and 

 soirees followed, and in a district of which the population is less than a 

 1000 as many as 200 frequently attended at the social and intellectual 

 gatherings. The llev. A. Scrivener, incumbent of ChorleyAA'Ood, is the 

 manager of this association, and to him persons interested in the promo- 

 tion of Labom-ers' Societies may apply in confidence of a kindly reception. 

 _ We hope to see gardeners more and more availing themselves of the 

 principle of association for mutual improvement, for in the higher walk of 

 life they foUoAv, their need of intellectual converse and recreation is even 

 greater than in the case of agricultiu-al labourers. We know of very 

 many Gardeners' Societies which are eminently beneficial, and we have 

 noted that where gentlemen take an interest in the social welfare of their 

 gardeners, and render such help as may be desirable in their encourage- 

 ment, that they ensure more assiduous' attention on the part of those in 

 thou-, employ, as they can also command a higher class of intelligence and 

 skill. The old boimdary lines between the employer and the employed are 



