COTTAGE GARDENS ASSOCIATION. 523 



bit of land in the parish, and the rent was more than the 

 farmers paid for good land. 



With regard to the ECONOMICAL OR UTILITARIAN 

 ADVANTAGES of gardening, T hold the opinion that the 

 working classes would benefit largely by the free use of 

 fresh vegetables in diet. I say fresh vegetables, and 

 what means are so likely to furnish them with such as 

 a garden of their own ? And it should not be overlooked 

 or forgotten that the products of the garden are not 

 exhausted by the vegetables and fruits raised for present 

 or immediate consumption. There is a store of both 

 for winter use, and as these are successively brought 

 forth at that season, and the family reaps the sub- 

 stantial benefits of their past labour, they are pleasantly 

 reminded again and again of the delights of the garden 

 in the summer time. 



If, as I hope, I have proved satisfactorily that it is 

 desirable to bring gardening within easy reach of the 

 humbler classes of society from an educational, as well 

 as from a moral, social, and economical point of view, 

 I may now ask to be allowed to consider 



II. THE PRACTICABILITY OF THE PROJECT. 



I propose to establish a company under the title of 

 " The Cottage Gardens Association for Great Britain and 

 Ireland, Limited.'* This association is to be formed with 

 the view of providing labourers, artisans, and small 

 tradesmen, and others with suitable plots of ground to 

 be cultivated as gardens. The association proposes to 

 accomplish this end by purchasing or hiring on lease 

 suitable plots of land as near as possible to towns and 

 villages. As the principal object of the directors will 

 be to develop gardening as a source of both recreation 

 and profit to the humbler classes, they will not seek for 

 large profits on the undertaking, but merely a fairly 

 remunerative interest on the capital embarked. The 

 preliminary expenses will be confined to the outlay 



