the Poor in Bavaria. 239 



become industrious and skilful cultivators ; and they are 

 grown so fond of vegetables, particularly of potatoes, 

 which they raise in great quantities, that these useful 

 and wholesome productions now constitute a very es- 

 sential part of their daily food. And these improve- 

 ments are also spreading very fast among the farmers 

 and peasants, throughout the whole country. There is 

 hardly a soldier that goes on furlough, or that returns 

 home at the expiration of his time of service, that does 

 not carry with him a few potatoes for planting, and a 

 little collection of garden-seeds ; and I have no doubt 

 but in a very few years we shall see potatoes as much 

 cultivated in Bavaria as in other countries, and that 

 the use of vegetables for food will be generally intro- 

 duced among the common people. I have already 

 had the satisfaction to see little gardens here and 

 there making their appearance in different parts of 

 the country ; and I hope that very soon no farmer's 

 house will be found without one. 



To assist the soldiers in the cultivation of their 

 gardens, they are furnished with garden utensils gratis. 

 They are likewise furnished from time to time with a 

 certain quantity of manure, and with an assortment of 

 garden-seeds ; but they do not rely solely upon these 

 supplies. Those who are industrious collect materials in 

 their barracks, and in the streets, for making manure, 

 and even sometimes purchase it ; and they raise in their 

 own gardens most of the garden-seeds they stand in 

 need of. To enable them to avail themselves of their 

 gardens as early in the spring as possible, in supplying 

 their tables with green vegetables, each company is 

 furnished with a hot-bed for raising early plants. 



To attach the soldiers more strongly to these their 



