292 THE BOOK OP THE LANDED ESTATE. 



generally badly cultivated, and that the labourers often neglect their 

 daily work to attend to their gardens. This may have been the case in 

 some instances, but my own experience leads me to state that it is a 

 good system to allow a labourer to have a garden or allotment. He 

 generally takes an interest in his garden he prides himself in keeping 

 it tidy and clean, aud tries to outstrip his neighbours in producing good 

 crops. As a rule, I have found that the cottagers on an estate keep 

 their gardens in much better order, and produce much superior crops 

 from them, than the farmers do. A farmer's garden is very often any- 

 thing but cleanly kept, and is frequently the worst-tilled place on the 

 farm. This is not the case with cottage-gardens. A few cases may 

 occur where the tenants, from some cause, do not attend to their gardens ; 

 but I maintain that where a labouring man has a garden to attend 

 to, it generally tends to keep him at home from the public-house and 

 from poaching. In it, also, 'his children receive their first lessons in 

 the cultivation of the soil ; and I certainly think that a proprietor is 

 looking to his own interests when lie sees that each of his cottagers has 

 a small garden. 



The garden should not be large not more than one-fourth of an acre. 

 This will be found sufficient for one man to keep properly with profit to 

 himself. It should be drained for him ; and in those cases where gardens 

 are not drained, but require it, an arrangement should be made for the 

 labourer to execute the cutting and filling-in of the drains at his own 

 expense, and the landlord to find and cart the pipes for them. He 

 should also be instructed to trench his garden and manure it well, so 

 as to make it highly productive. Although these works may take up 

 some of his time and give him some trouble, yet he will reap the benefit 

 afterwards ; only he should be guaranteed some compensation should 

 anything occur to cause him to give up possession of the garden. 



It is even judicious in many instances to let out a few acres of land 

 to labourers as allotments or cow-keepings, in portions of, say, from five to 

 ten acres. A much higher rent will generally be got for these allotments 

 than a farmer would give for them; and, as a rule, they are better kept in 

 every way. With more encouragement from the landed proprietors, the 

 crofters in the Highlands of Scotland would be considerably improved 

 in condition. As they are, they are left to plod on in their own way, 

 receiving no encouragement to drain, trench, or enclose. The present 

 Earl of Seafield is, however, an exception to this, as he makes it a con- 

 dition with the crofters on his Strathspey estates to allow them 5 for 

 every acre which they reclaim from the wastes. Another noteworthy 

 instance is shown on an estate in the north of Scotland belonging to her 

 Grace the Duchess of Sutherland. Some years ago (1849) expatriation 



