ALLOTMENT GARDENS. 



ALLOTMENT GARDENS. 



taste, and must be regulated by the shape 

 of the enclosure. A square field of ten or 

 more acres may be divided by two walks 

 cutting each other in the centre at right 

 angles ; and another walk may be made 

 along each side, and at such a distance 

 from the hedge or enclosure as the size of 

 the field may suggest. These walks, if 

 thought desirable, can be made broad 

 enough for a small cart to pass along. 

 Beyond these, all that is required would 

 be alleys, or small walks between the 

 different allotments ; these last may be 

 measured into the allotments, half to each 

 occupier; but the larger and more impor- 

 tant walks should not be measured in. If 

 the field be enclosed with a bank and 

 hedge, these should be kept in order at the 

 joint expense or labour of the different 

 occupiers of the land ; and so also should 

 the garden pump, if, from the absence of 

 any supply of soft water, it should be 

 necessary to sink a well. Dwarf apples 

 and pears, &c., and all bush fruit should 

 be considered admissible; but no high 

 trees should be allowed, as they may do 

 harm to a neighbouring allotment. Nor 

 should any occupier be allowed to erect a 

 greenhouse or shed, except under especial 

 permission. Ordinary garden-frames can, 

 of course, be used, wherever they are 

 desired. The land taken for allotment 

 gardens, previous to being let to the dif- 

 ferent tenants, should be drained, and pro- 

 per water-courses provided. Many persons 

 recommend the building of a large shed for 

 garden-tools, &c., for the joint occupation 

 Oi" the tenants ; but, as far as general ex- 

 perience goes, this is better avoided. 

 Much ill-feeling s often engendered among 

 the tenants by tnc taking of each other's 

 implements ; and where property is left 

 upon the ground in this unprotected state, 

 an opening is g;iven to petty thieving. It 

 can be no great difficulty for a man, when- 

 ever he has an h' ur or two to spend in his 



garden, to take with him on his barrow, 

 his spade, rake, and hoe, or whatever he 

 may require ; and if the allotment be too 

 far off for him to carry these things to and 

 fro, he is better without it. Very strict 

 attention should be given to the payment 

 of rent. The land should be let from 

 Michaelmas to Michaelmas, and the rent 

 paid half-yearly the first half-year's rent 

 to be paid on account at Midsummer, and 

 the remaining half at the year's end. No 

 cottager, except of good moral, character, 

 should be accepted as a tenant. Proper 

 cultivation, neatness, and order should be 

 strictly enforced, and, where these are not 

 attended to, the tenant should have notice 

 to quit : a three months' notice, expiring 

 at Michaelmas, is the fairest arrangement 

 for all parties. Allotment gardens are best 

 managed under direction of a small com- 

 mittee. A piece of glebe land, if such lie 

 convenient, is perhaps the best that can be 

 occupied for the purpose, and the clergy- 

 man of the parish should be chairman of 

 the committee ? 



These general observations, which are 

 the result of many years', experience, are 

 made instead of giving copies of rules which 

 are actually of no use : for all rules, though 

 they embody the principles laid down 

 above, must be adapted to their own par- 

 ticular case. With regard to the cropping 

 of allotment ground, the remarks which 

 have already been made, and which will 

 be found elsewhere in this volume, upon 

 cottage gardening (see Cottage Gardens), 

 will supply ample information. The fol- 

 lowing rotation of crops is very simple, 

 and has been strongly recommended. It 

 applies to a rood or quarter of an acre, and 

 supposes the breadth of the land to be 27^ 

 yards, and the length 44 yards, which makes 

 just one rood. Of this piece of land make 

 three equal divisions, and crop as fc Hows : 



First Division. Plant, first week in 

 March, 22 rows of potatoes, 2 feet between 



