Cultivation of Cottage Gardens. 647 



home, when they have had the very same things growing in 

 their own gardens at the same time. Thus, for instance, one 

 person grows a quantity of some showy kind of plants in small 

 clumps, which, when in flower, cannot fail to attract the atten- 

 tion of the most careless observer ; while another, who has 

 no small clumps in his garden, grows a variety of kinds toge- 

 ther ; and although he has the same sorts as another, yet, from 

 the manner in which they are grown, a great part of them are 

 not observed by a person merely walking through. When it 

 thus happens, and the gardener is ignorant of what is passing 

 around him, he cannot state the reason of the difference, and 

 is therefore unable to defend himself: whereas, if it were 

 otherwise, he might satisfactorily account for it, while his 

 abilities would not be lessened in the eyes of his employers. 

 There ai'e many gardeners who would gladly spare a few days 

 in a year for the purpose I have mentioned, but that in some 

 cases the low wages they receive, and in others the unwilling- 

 ness of their masters, prevent it. I believe it will generally 

 be found, that, where a first-rate gardener is kept, there is at 

 least one horse kept which might be spared on such occasions, 

 and is very likely wanting exercise, while the servant is suf- 

 fered to hire one, or to pay coach hire to a considerable 

 amount for the benefit of the gentleman, who, if he were 

 inclined, ought to do it for next to nothing, while the servant, 

 sensible of the kindness bestowed, would not fail to return it 

 by a strict attention to the things committed to his care. 



I am. Sir, yours, 

 Aiis:. 1832. R. T. 



Art. III. Directive Hints for the effective Cultivation of Cottage 

 Gardens. By Selim. 



Sir, 

 In a former communication (p. 529.), I ventured to offer a 

 few remarks upon the subject of cottage allotments, and then 

 confined my observations to the quantity of land that a labourer 

 might probably cultivate with profit to himself, and without 

 inconvenience to the master who employs him. I believe I 

 contended that few men in constant work could manure and 

 cultivate more than half an acre : but supposing a man could 

 cultivate that quantity of land, the next thing to be con- 

 sidered is, how could he manage it with the least expense of 

 labour, and to the most advantage ? In this respect, it will be 

 found, that the common run of labourers require a good deal 

 of advice and instruction. Those acquainted with the habits 



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