452 Of Gardens. 



time, often during the space of a whole night, and absorbs all 

 the moisture with which it comes in contact ; whereas stone- 

 walls grow cold immediately after sunset : arid whenever 

 warm moist air touches a stone that is colder than ifself, the 

 heat enters the body of the stone, and the watery particles 

 remain on its surface ; and this moisture frequently causes the 

 rotting of the fruit. All walls preserve fruit much better when 

 coped. 



The articles raised in a farmer's garden, ought to be of easy 

 culture ; of the sorts best calculated for family consumption ; 

 nor ought some aromatic herbs, or medicinal plants, to be 

 omitted. Fruit-trees may also be reared along the walls, and 

 some in the interior of the garden ; for though they may in- 

 jure the garden vegetables, yet the value of their fruit is ge- 

 nerally far greater, than the amount of their pernicious ef- 

 fects ( 43 ). Gooseberry, raspberry, and currant bushes also, 

 the fruit of which the industrious housewife can manufacture 

 into various articles, and which in particular may in a great 

 measure be the means of superseding the use of foreign wines 

 ( 431 ), ought not to be neglected. 



6. Village Gardens. Round many villages and small towns, 

 gardens of a moderate size are numerous and productive. It 

 is a fortunate circumstance, when manufacturers and mecha- 

 nics take a delight in them, since their health is promoted by 

 the exercise in the open air, for which an opportunity is thus 

 afforded ; while at the same time, any tendency to immorali- 

 ty is greatly checked, by an agreeable and useful means of 

 occupation. The village garden is frequently the retreat of 

 the occupier, in the summer evenings, after the labours of the 

 day, where he agreeably employs himself, in watching over 

 the progress of his crops, and the success of his exertions. In 

 those manufacturing villages, or small towns ( 43 *), where a 

 number of inhabitants have gardens, a taste for keeping them 

 in good order is prevalent, and few instances of dissipation 

 occur ( 43S ). In such gardens, not only aromatic herbs, and 

 medicinal plants, are cultivated, but flowers of various sorts 

 are raised, as the carnation, pink, auricula, polyanthus, &c. 

 by the sale of which some money is obtained. The Flo- 

 rist Society at Paisley, in Scotland, is a sufficient proof of the 

 advantage to be derived, from directing the attention of ma- 

 nufacturers to such innocent pursuits. The rearing of beau- 

 tiful flowers, is found to improve their taste for manufactur- 

 ing elegant patterns of fancy muslin ; while the florists of 

 Paisley, have long been remarked, for the peaceableness of 

 their dispositions, and the sobriety of their manners ( 434 ) 



