COTTAGE GARDENS ASSOCIATION. 525 



No doubt there would in many districts be a difficulty 

 in acquiring SUITABLE LAND, but that difficulty does not 

 seem insuperable, and is probably less now than at any 

 recent period. 



But it may be said all land is not suitable for cottage 

 gardening. Certainly not. In choosing land for cottage 

 gardens there are many points worthy of being taken into 

 consideration, such as position, quantity, quality, and rent. 

 There is no position equal to that attached to the cottage, 

 and where it is possible to acquire land adjoining cottages 

 without land, and attach it to them, this would be the 

 greatest boon. The cottages of our large landed pro- 

 prietors uaually have a small garden ; but how often do 

 we see rows of cottages existing and still being erected 

 back to back with scarcely more land attached to them 

 than the cottages stand on. In London and the imme- 

 diate vicinity of large towns this may matter but little as 

 regards gardening, however valuable a plot of land might 

 be to the cottagers as a playground or drying-ground ; 

 but in positions where soil and climate permit of successful 

 gardening, on sanitary and social grounds no cottage 

 should be allowed to be built without a portion of cultivat- 

 able land being attached to it. I do not think that I 

 am exceeding the bounds of propriety in urging this 

 point on the attention of local boards and rural sanitary 

 authorities under whose supervision all plans of proposed 

 new buildings must now necessarily pass. If they k have not 

 already the power of enforcing this it should be given them 

 by Act of Parliament. I should like, too, to see every 

 country school teaching at least the elements of gardening, 

 and every agricultural and horticultural association owning 

 or renting a plot of ground and organising a plan by which 

 they might relet to the cottager and aid or advise him 

 otherwise in his undertaking. 



If land cannot be obtained adjoining cottages, it should 

 be as near to them as possible. A walk of a mile or two 

 may not matter to the sedentary man who is constantly 



