1 64? Experiment for bettering 



some 15,000/. more would have been disbursed in wages than 

 was actually issued. The privations and even positive suffer- 

 ings endured in consequence have not, however, been pro- 

 ductive of unmixed evil : for the value and importance of well 

 cultivated gardens to the comforts and necessities of the poor, 

 have been rendered more manifest in the course of these cala- 

 mitous seven weeks, than perhaps in the whole preceding six 

 years ; and the unquestionable fact, that it is cliiejly poverty that 

 in this country engenders misery and crime (a fact worthy 

 of all the attention political economists and statesmen will 

 deign to bestow upon it), was never rendered more practically 

 apparent. It was also highly consolatory to see many of the 

 villagers who were not permitted by the dictation of others of 

 their fellow-workmen, or the terror excited by their threats, to 

 continue at their regular work, readily and steadily availing 

 themselves of the resource of their gardens ; so that much- 

 greater progress has been made in rendering them gene- 

 rally productive, and in most materially increasing their extent, 

 than could have taken place under, in other respects, more 

 favourable circumstances. Independently of casual but fre- 

 quently repeated observation, upon occasion of making a regu- 

 lar survey of the gardens in the village previously to the 

 awarding the prizes for the present year, it was both surpris- 

 ing and delightful to see the extent, variety, and general clean- 

 liness of the culture, as well as the excellence of the crops, 

 many of them justifying the observation, in which the pro- 

 prietors expressed concurrence, that the produce of such gar- 

 dens, so managed and judiciously applied, might be made to 

 contribute a third part to the maintenance of the family in 

 wholesome food. Thus, on a perception of the desirableness 

 of a garden to the cottager, which, as I observed in my for- 

 mer communication, I had so much difficulty to awaken in the 

 minds even of the industrious, not only has a taste for its con- 

 veniences and comforts been successfully ingrafted, but habits 

 been formed which cannot fail to be strengthened and con- 

 firmed by enjoyment. Were it not for occupying too much 

 of your valuable room, and for the fear of tiring your readers, 

 I could furnish details on this part of my subject that could 

 not fail to afford satisfaction to every friend to the improve- 

 ment of the situation and morals of the labouring classes. I 

 shall therefore confine myself to a single instance, for the gra- 

 tification of those who will not read, 



" with a disdainful smile, 

 The short and simple annals of the poor ;" 



