248 Garden Libraries. 



tannica may now be purchased for 20/. ; its Supplement, 1 ll. ; Farmer's Ma- 

 gazine, 6l. 



Village Libraries. — The following letter deserves particular attention. We 

 sincerely recommend it to the consideration of clergymen, medical men, 

 tradesmen, and others, amateurs of gardening, resident in towns and vil- 

 lages. Country nurserymen, and market-gardeners of spirit, might, in many 

 cases, set on foot libraries of this description ; but it is from clergymen in 

 the country, a class of men highly and deservedly respected, alike by the 

 laborious classes and the highest ranks, — because it is the respect due to 

 virtue, — that we expect co-operation in this department of the subject. 



" Clapton, January 10. 1827. 

 " Sir, — I have read with much pleasure your article, in the Gardener's Magazine, respecting 

 Garden Libraries, and feel confident that much may be done by such plans, towards raising the 

 class of men under consideration from habits of vice and intemperance to those of virtuous 

 industry. I beg, however, to suggest that in all populous villages near London one public library 

 would be more useful than many private ones, as the one would ensure the means of information 

 to all who were willing to receive it, while the other would exclude many equally desirous, but 

 whose masters were not either able or willing to confer the benefit. I think, also, that many 

 gentlemen would contribute what would be very liberal to a public library who could not do the 

 whole individually. The gardeners, themselves, also might aid in supporting such an institution, 

 by subscribing one penny per week, for which they might be entitled to a ticket, which should 

 procure for them an hour's reading each evening in the week, after six till nine o'clock. By limit- 

 ing the time 3 idle discussion would be prevented, as each would be anxious to gain all he could 

 during his stay. This plan of associating might, in some instances, be more usefid than solitary 

 reading, as a book might be kept, in which questions on general improvement,, on the sub- 

 ject of gardening, might be registered, and one evening in a month, or oftener, devoted to the 

 purpose of replying to them, either in writing, or otherwise, by the members of the institutions, 

 who, by consulting the registry, might always know what subjects were waiting for answers, and 

 endeavour to gain that information which might enable them to throw light on the question. As 

 the property of the Society might all be locked up during the day, a room used as a school might, 

 during the infancy of such an undertaking, serve very well. The benefits arising from the adop- 

 tion of such plans are incalculable, as by them men would be withdrawn from scenes of dissipa. 

 tion, (to which, in the first instance, they only resort for the sake of society), to those not only of 

 recreation, but of improvement, and by thus getting their minds stored with useful knowledge, 

 not only benefit their employers, but greatly advance their own interest and happiness. The 

 benefits of such an institution would be great to young men just entering on the profession, who 

 are desirous of information, but have no means of procuring it. On the subject of private 

 libraries, it may be feared that not one master in ten would be found willing to give the plan the 

 encouragement it deserves ; thus the servants of the other nine, though equally deserving and 

 desirous .of information, would be deprived of the benefit enjoyed by that individual, whose 

 master duly appreciated the value of his servant's improvement; but, in the event of a public 

 library, no man need be precluded from the benefit who could spare the trifling sum above men- 

 tioned; and, after all, much must depend on the gardeners themselves, as the library, whether 

 public or private, would be useless without a disposition to read. Much more might be said, 

 but the above may serve as hints. If they should be of any service, it will be very gratifying to 



" A Constant Female Reader." 



We hope this letter may lead to the establishment of a village garden 

 library at Clapham ; but, at all events, we trust it will induce the female 

 part of our readers to lend their influence to the cause. No study and 

 recreation can be more suitable for a lady resident in the country than 

 botany and gardening; it ought therefore to be an object of endeavour to 

 render gardeners more fit for answering the different questions, and aiding 

 in the different operations, and, in short, fitting their minds for the sort of 

 contact with their employers, that the exercise of that study and the en- 

 joyment of that recreation imply. 



Other letters on Garden Libraries from Mr. Saul, Mr. Brown, Mr. 

 Mather, &c. &c. we must defer at present ; noticing only an anonymous 

 suggestion, that, as there are about forty gardeners employed in the Royal 

 Gardens at Kew, a library established there would do much good, and sug- 

 gesting to us to recommend the subject to Mr. Aiton. The value of this 

 hint is so evident, that it requires no comment; we hope it will be taken up 

 by Mr. Aiton or Mr. Blount. A second hint is, that the London Horticul- 

 tural Society might present their Transactions to some of the principal of 

 these libraries. A third hint is, that a metropolitan garden and agricultural 

 library for the use of all practical gardeners, farmers, or country labourers^ 

 in every part of England, at l-5th or l-6th of the usual charge made by 



