964 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



of the best land in the world, and, on the whole, the most thoughtful and 

 considerate landowners. Our climate, for hardy fruit and vegetable 

 growing, is hard to beat. No country possesses better teachers or 

 exponents of the art of gardening than England, and certainly no 

 country is blest with such splendid markets at our doors for the ready 

 sale at remunerative prices of every article of food it is possible to raise 

 from the soil ; so much so that many growers living thousands of miles 

 away find it profitable to deal with us in such articles, although hampered 

 and handicapped by the expense and difficulties incident to such vast 

 distances. What is wanted is some authoritative body to organise and 

 put life into such a scheme. Seeing that we have now a Government 

 Department of Agriculture (which of course includes the utilitarian aspect 

 of Horticulture), with a Minister at its head evidently in sympathy with 

 any movement having for its object the improvement of this kind of 

 husbandry, and having also our County and District Councils working in 

 the same direction, may we not hope that something will be done to 

 educate our rural population on these important lines ? Is it too much 

 to hope that the Council of the Koyal Horticultural Society, with its 

 great position and immense influence, may see its way to arrange for a 

 conference to be held in London on the subject, composed of representa- 

 tives of our landowners, the authorities above mentioned, and others 

 interested ? 



I have only one word to add, and it is that such a scheme as I have 

 so imperfectly outlined may benefit the middle-aged and declining 

 workman but little. But for the younger men, and for the children of 

 both sexes, I believe it possesses possibilities of great moment as regards the 

 future prosperity and well-being of our rural working population. Once 

 having learnt how to make the most of half an acre of land, it is not too 

 much to hope that many of our future country workers would aspire and 

 succeed in converting the half -acre garden into one of ten or twenty by 

 their industry and skill acquired under such a scheme, becoming small 

 occupiers or proprietors rooted by love to the soil, a blessing to themselves 

 and to their country. 



* # * At the time the foregoing paper was passing through the press a 

 discussion was taking place in Parliament upon a very closely related 

 subject. Mr. Keir Hardie moved an Amendment to the Address calling 

 on the Government to give power to Local Authorities to acquire land 

 and to set upon it industries whereby men might obtain permanent em- 

 ployment. 



The Times in a leading article upon the subject points out that there 

 is no need whatever for fresh legislation or for further powers, as the 

 Local Authorities already possess all that is required in the Small Holdings 

 Act passed in 1880, and it adds : " The Act has been successful wherever 

 it has been put in force. Striking examples will be found in Mr. Collings's 

 speech. But only two or three county councils in all England have made 

 use of their powers. We send abroad fifty millions a year for country 

 produce which might be largely obtained from our own fields. The land 

 is lying idle, and the people who might be leading prosperous and inde- 

 pendent lives as their own masters are loafing about our towns 1 unem- 



