276 Gardefis of Cottages. 



Five premiums or rewards, of different value, were then 

 offered to those who had the best cultivated garden, and most 

 flowers in their courts, and about the 10th of August I in- 

 spected their gardens, and awarded the premiums. As the 

 garden labourers, from the nature of their employment, had 

 some advantage over the others, they were not allowed to 

 compete with them, but were competitors among themselves ; 

 and the premiums were not confined to those who had had 

 their gardens put in form for them, but extended to the cot- 

 tagers of the three parishes. 



The successful candidates were so elated with the idea of 

 having gained a prize, and the others flattered with the hope 

 of doing the same the following season, that the spirit of gar- 

 dening soon became general, and cuttings of fruit-trees, plants, 

 and flower-seeds, were in great request with those very indi- 

 viduals who were most prejudiced against them at the form- 

 ation of their little gardens. 



The village of Stackpole was now frequented in the Summer 

 season by the ladies and gentlemen of the neighbourhood, to 

 see the flowers and improvements of the cottages ; and many 

 of the labourers, who had worked about the gardens for years, 

 and never asked the name of a plant, began to ask the names 

 of flowers that a certain lady or gentleman had admired the 

 preceding day. 



Two years before I left Stackpole Court, the premiums were 

 discontinued, being considered unnecessary ; and it was gra- 

 tifying to see that the cottagers paid the same attention to their 

 gardens, in the evenings and mornings, as usual ; they had ex- 

 perienced the comfort and advantage arising from so doing ; 

 for their fruit-trees were now in a bearing state, and their 

 market for common fruits and early vegetables was tolerably 

 good. 



Having seen the desired effect accomplished, by the above 

 method of teaching labourers to benefit by their gardens, I 

 should be happy to hear of that, or a similar method, being 

 adopted by those who have it in their power; and the poor man's 

 cottage made comfortable and ornamental in scenery, instead 

 of the levelling system which is practised by many. 



I am, Sir, &c. 



William Buchan. 

 Blithfield, May 13th, 1826. 



We earnestly recommend to our readers the practice recom- 

 mended in the above communication. There is scarcely any 

 person fond of gardening, and of promoting the comfort of his 



