Bicton Gardens, their Culture and Management. 561 



workmanlike manner, until the men take an interest in it. It is 

 true, there have been some improvements made during these last 

 few years; but the movement is slow, and by no means at a rail- 

 road pace, as it ought to be. The principal feeling that some 

 men have who hold situations is to hold on, not thinking of 

 making the least improvement ; and if any improvements should 

 be proposed to them by their employers, or any one else, 

 it is like throwing dirty water in their faces; the answer is, 

 that they have more to do now than they can do. Now, to 

 establish my Rules at Bicton was something like my going into 

 the garden on a hot day, and after kicking against the bee-hives 

 to stand in front of them, and let the bees exercise themselves 

 freely on myself. By routing out some of the most factious, and 

 getting good young men, I have been able, by degrees, to bring 

 things as they are ; that is, by no means to perfection, but with 

 ample room left for improvement on every thing under my 

 charge, as well as for improving myself. 



In respect to men, I would just observe that you may give way 

 to them in sloth, neglect, and all that is injurious, until you get 

 every thing into a bad state in doors and out, and can get no 

 more done with twenty men than you could with five with 

 proper management: and the five men would be just as well 

 satisfied with you as the twenty would, and to all outward ap- 

 pearance the five men would not work harder, nor exert them- 

 selves more, than the twenty; the five taking an interest in their 

 labour, the twenty in making away with the day in any way, so 

 that one should not have it thrown in his teeth that he had done 

 more to any job than the others, or that one should begin his 

 job before the others. I am always pleased to do a favour for 

 any young man or labourer that lies in my power. 1 like to see 

 them merry and comfortable: but I hate a drunkard worse than 

 I do a thief, for this reason, that a drunkard you cannot put the 

 least confidence in at any time; he may be clever in some things, 

 but the evil day comes, he gets drunk, which overturns all the 

 cleverness he has been performing for years ; the thief you 

 watch for, detect, and punish. 



When I first entered Bicton gardens I found the labourers' 

 working-hours were from six in the morning to five in the 

 afternoon ; that is, one hour allowed every day to go home 

 to manage their own gardens, &c, half an hour for breakfast, 

 and one hour for dinner: but I was surprised to find, on the 

 first morning, not a man on the grounds till about seven, some 

 later, &c. When they did arrive, it was with the knees of their 

 smallclothes not buttoned or tied, their shoes not laced, &c. ; 

 not a tool in its place, but thrown down where a job was finished, 

 and all confusion and disorder in every corner ; coals lying 

 about in every place through which they had been wheeled ; 



3d Ser. — 1842. XI. o o 



