314 
Farming of Bucliinghamshire. 
soil by providing excellent buildings, not only for his yeomanry 
but also for his poorer tenants. Other very good cottages are 
springing up in various parts of the county ; some very excellent 
ones are just built at Hambledcn, and as the good work has been 
so ably commenced, it is hoped it may be extended on a fair and 
economical basis to those wretched localities where it is so much 
needed. Garden allotments are not very numerous ; but where 
well situated, and not allowed to exceed 40 poles, are of great 
advantage to the poor. Those at Hambleden are well cultivated, 
and they are much valued and appreciated by the humble tenants, 
who with cheerfulness and regularity pay the rent of ?>d. per pole, 
all other charges being defrayed for them. The kind-hearted 
gentleman of whom these allotments are rented keeps an acre in 
his own hands, on which, by spade husbandry, he employs the 
surplus labour of the village. 
It is unnecessary here to enlarge upon the vices and short- 
comings of the labouring population, to detail their wants and 
hardships, or echo the excellent recommendations for their relief, 
which have appeared in the Reports of other counties. It is cer- 
tainly a pleasing feature of society in the present day that the 
upper and middle classes not only express a regard for the welfare 
of their poorer neighbours, but also bestir themselves in active 
attempts to better their condition. The clergy and gentry of 
Bucks seem to work well together in their endeavours to elevate the 
condition of the labouring poor; and, while education and plain 
religious teaching are happily extending among them, their bodily 
comforts are not unheeded. Unity of action frequently does more 
than individual exertion, and charitable societies are productive 
of much good. It is of the greatest importance to instil into the 
poor habits of providence and forethought, and for this cause the 
South Bucks Friendly Society was established. By monthly 
payments the poor can secure relief and attendance in sickness, 
annuities after the age of G5, or 4Z. payable at death. This society 
was first founded in 1832 for the district of Missenden only, but 
in 1835 was extended to nearly forty parishes in the south of 
Bucks. The society seems in a flourishing condition, to which 
prosperity the inappreciable services and long-continued and 
untiring self-devotion of the honorary treasurer have not a little 
contributed. From a valuation m.ade of the society's liabilities 
and assets in 1844, the balance in hand was 428/., while a later 
valuation increases the balance to 1140/., the whole of the assets 
being valued at no less a sum than 18,1957. From the last cash 
account published in June, 1854, it appeared the actual amount 
of stock was 7181/., and that the number of members was 1070. 
The working of the society cost 187/. To cover this the honorary 
subscriptions for the year amounted to 70/., the admission fees, 
