IRISH GARDENING 



VOLUME XII 



No. 136 



Editor-J- W. Besant 



A MONTHLY JOURNAL DEVOTED TO THE 



ADVANCEMENT OF HORTICULTURE AND 



ARBORICULTURE IN IRELAND 



JUNE 

 1917 



Allotments in Belfast* 



Allotments, or garden plots as they are 

 generally known a8 in Belfast, have made extra- 

 ordinary progress since the outbreak of war. 

 In 1915 there would be about 530 plots, which 

 have developed until at the present moment 

 there are over 5,000 in the district, and of these 

 more than 4,500 are within the city boundary, 

 including a considerable area in the public parks 

 which is laid out 

 in plots. The 

 groups of plots , 

 which now 

 number 80, are 

 scattered in a 

 more or less 

 continuous ring 

 throughout the 

 city. The size of 

 individual groups 

 naturally varies 

 from a quarter 

 acre upwards. 

 The largest area 

 yet enclosed is 40 

 acres in extent, 

 and has accom- 

 modation for 550 

 plots, but it has 

 not been fully 

 developed as yet. 

 The largest area 

 in full working 

 order is 29| acres with 390 plots. 



At a conservative estimate each plot should 

 produce vegetables to the value of £5 at the 

 present prices, and therefore this extension is a 

 considerable increase in the food supply of the 

 nation. The development of plots in Belfast is 

 chiefly the result of the labours of the Garden 

 Plots Association, which is a committee of 

 gentlemen working under the Belfast Christian 

 Civic Union. The whole of the work of organiza- 

 tion, control, &c., has been done voluntarily, the 



LySICHITUM CAMrSCHATCENSt: 



Association deri\ ing no aid from any outside 

 sources. The movement is entirely self-sup- 

 porting, and, in the words of the Plots Associa 

 tion, "It is only necessary to start allotments 

 in any area to get a few gentlemen to become 

 responsible for the rent of the field or fields that 

 may be selected," liability which so far has 

 not had to be discharged in Belfast. As soon 



as the ground is 

 taken a demand 

 for plots always 

 springs up. The 

 method adopted 

 is to obtain 

 suitable ground, 

 pending its being 

 needed for build- 

 ing p u r p o s e s. 

 Ground is j^ not 

 taken for any 

 term of years, so 

 that it is obtained 

 from £3 per acre, 

 or the usual graz- 

 ing rent. With 

 land of this 

 descri]Dtion the 

 Association have 

 no security of ten- 

 lu'e. Fortunately 

 occasion seldom 

 arises when it is 

 necessary to evict plot holders but efforts are 

 made to get land in the immediate vicinity. 

 The question of permanent allotments will be 

 an important one after the war, and no doubt 

 local authorities will have to consider some 

 means for the permanent establishment of the 

 same. 



The plots are 90 feet long by 30 feet wide, and 

 these are allotted at about 7s. 6d. per plot per 

 annum. This covers the rent, expenses of 

 fencino-, &c. Theoretically there should be 



[R. 31. Pollock 



