536 Experiment in Monmouthshire 



of the most useful vegetables, and many others which, though 

 desirable, are not necessary ; currants and gooseberries, 

 raspberries, strawberries, apples, and the rhubarb for tarts ; 

 and (though more rarely) single plants and beds of flowers : 

 so that the prizes for " the best cultivated villager's garden 

 in the hills of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire," and for " the 

 best basket of sorted vegetables," as well as for " the finest 

 apples," and for " new or rare sorts of apples," all fell to the 

 lot of the Blackwood villagers, at two successive shows of the 

 Horticultural Society in the year 1829, as well as the prize 

 for " the most beautiful flower in bloom." That these are 

 striking indications of physical and moral improvement, who 

 will venture to disbelieve ? and who that is a real friend to the 

 peace and tranquillity, the reputation and happiness of his 

 country, but must wish them to become, as they even yet 

 might be, universal ? In the present state of the country 

 little progress in the true cottage system can be expected in 

 England, notwithstanding various applications for practical 

 information thereon have been made, and some of them from 

 persons of rank and extensive influence. In Ireland, on the 

 contrary, the labouring poor are not subjected to the fatal 

 effects of that taxation which in England renders the circum- 

 stances of the poor all but desperate ; if the curse of tithes 

 could be previously removed as affecting improvements, the 

 cottage system on the most liberal scale might, under the 

 direction of judicious and experienced persons, be rendered a 

 real blessing to the country ; as the editor of the Irish Farmer'' s 

 Journal for January 1827 justly observes. The hints for 

 farther improvement in the circumstances of the labouring 

 poor, afforded by the very interesting particulars, given in the 

 Gardener's Magazine, of your late Continental tour, I cherish 

 with fondness, but, alas ! without the hope of seeing many of 

 them adopted in my time. 



John H. Moggridge. 

 Woodfield, Monmouthshire, March 5. 1830. 



Art. IV. On the Subject of an Experiment made for bettering the 

 Coyidition of the Labouring Classes. By John H. Moggridge, 

 Esq. 



Sir, 



Farther information as to the progress of my experiment 



for bettering the condition of the labouring classes may not be 



unacceptable to certain of your readers* It is now some 



length of time since the last account appeared; and although 



