274 THE AYLESTONE ALLOTMENTS 



Then, among other allotments, I saw one of 400 yards, 

 the tenant of which is a youth of twenty, who is em- 

 ployed in a local timber-yard, and pays a rental of 

 los. 8d. a year for his holding. He cultivates it entirely 

 himself, and he gets back probably much more than the 

 amount of his rent by selling cut-flowers, of which he 

 grows a considerable quantity, including many choice 

 varieties. But he finds room on his diminutive holding 

 not only for flowers, but also for red currants, black 

 currants, gooseberries, two varieties of kale, potatoes, 

 brussels sprouts, savoys, cabbages, kidney-beans, celery, 

 onions, and tomatoes. 



Another holder, still a young man, but with the 

 advantage of having worked under a market-gardener, 

 started with an allotment of 400 yards, which he devoted 

 to the growing of rose-trees. He has succeeded so well 

 that he now rents 1,600 yards of land from the society, 

 and has also acquired close by 400 yards of freehold, 

 which he uses for glasshouses, devoting his whole time 

 to the business. 



Most of the vegetables grown are used in the house- 

 holds of the growers, and wives and children get a 

 plentiful supply, not only of ordinary varieties, but also 

 of kinds which would otherwise count as luxuries for 

 working-class families. It is sometimes a question not 

 alone of an abundance, but of a superabundance, the 

 surplus being then disposed of to neighbours, who 

 appreciate it so much that they are ready to pay more 

 for what they know is absolutely fresh than they would 

 give to the street-hawker. Experiences of this kind, 

 coupled with the example of the rose-tree-grower men- 

 tioned above, have served to strengthen the idea that 

 the allotments should be regarded as stepping-stones to 

 such small holdings as would support a man entirely. 

 I found that Mr. Jeffs favoured this idea, and I asked 



