376 soldiers' gardens. 



for plots might be laid down in grass, or planted with useful 

 trees, and the produce thus help to pay expenses. 



10. It will be necessary for Government, in the first instance, 

 to dig wells here and there, and to construct channels to convey 

 water to small reservoirs, placed so as to supply several con- 

 tiguous gardens. Generally, it will be preferable to let the men 

 draw water from these, instead of cutting up the paths by chan- 

 nels leading into their plots. The wells may be fitted with 

 pumps like one recently erected at the Horticultural Society's 

 Gardens by Mr Jaffrey, which raises 40 gallons per minute. 

 These are inexpensive, and can easily be worked by two men. 



11. It will further be necessary for Government to provide 

 tools and seeds. The more expensive tools, such as garden rol- 

 lers, shears, pickaxes, wheelbarrows, &c, should form a general 

 stock, and be lent to the men as required. There should also be 

 a certain proportion of the cheaper and more frequently used im- 

 plements, six-pronged forks, spades, hoes, &c, for the gratuitous 

 use of the men ; but every inducement should be held out to them 

 to purchase tools ; they might be given at reduced prices, and 

 the men might be allowed to pay for them by instalments. A 

 suitable lock-up place will be required for the tools, where 

 they should be collected clean every night. Some provision 

 might also be beneficially made for the repair, and even the 

 manufacture, of the commoner tools, on the spot, by the men 

 themselves, as the ranks of a European regiment frequently in- 

 clude artificers trained to different branches of industry before 

 they entered the army. A large open shed will be required in 

 the garden for various purposes, and in this a forge should be 

 erected with benches, &c. Working implements might be fur- 

 nished in certain proportions, or lent as required from the Ar- 

 senals, and the gardening tools might here be repaired by the 

 owners, or by others conversant with carpentry, blacksmith's 

 work, &c, and new tools might also be made for sale. At first, 

 of course, liberality must be exercised in lending tools ; but, after 

 a while, the artificers of the regiment should be required to pro- 

 vide all the cheaper description for themselves, Government fur- 

 nishing the larger and more expensive, as forges, saws, sledge- 

 hammers, &c, &c. Iron and wood should be supplied from the 



