238 Public Establishment for 



are pieces of ground, in or adjoining to the garrison 

 towns, which are regularly laid out, and exclusively 

 appropriated to the use of the non-commissioned offi- 

 cers and private soldiers belonging to the regiments in 

 garrison. The ground is regularly divided into dis- 

 tricts of regiments, battalions, companies, and corporal- 

 ities [corp or alsc hafts), of which last divisions there are 

 four to each company; and the quantity of ground 

 allotted to each corporality is such that each man 

 belonging to it, whether non-commissioned officer or 

 private, has a bed 365 square feet in superficies. 



This piece of ground remains his sole property as 

 long as he continues to serve in the regiment ; and he 

 is at full liberty to cultivate it in any way, and to dis- 

 pose of the produce of it in any manner he may think 

 proper. He must, however, cultivate it, and plant it, 

 and keep it neat and free from weeds ; otherwise, if he 

 should be idle, and neglect it, it would be taken from 

 him, and given to one of his more industrious com- 

 rades. 



The divisions of these military gardens are marked 

 by broader and smaller alleys, covered with gravel, and 

 neatly kept ; and, in order that every one, who chooses 

 it, may be a spectator of this interesting scene of in- 

 dustry, all the principal alleys, which are made large 

 for that purpose, are always open as a public walk. 

 The effect which this establishment has already pro- 

 duced in the short time (little more than five years) 

 since it was begun is very striking, and much greater 

 and more important than I could have expected. 



The soldiers, from being the most indolent of mor- 

 tals, and from having very little knowledge of garden- 

 ing or of the produce of a garden for use, are now 



