S8 Design for Subscription Gardens. 
Article VII. — Design for forming Subscription Gardens, 
in the vicinity of large Commercial Toivns. By Joseph 
Paxton, F.H.'S. 
The numerous Provincial Horticultural Societies that have been estab- 
lished, have done much to improve the taste for Horticultural pursuits in 
those districts ; but unfortunately, commercial men are so situated in the 
centre of large towns, that however desirous they may be to cultivate 
that taste, they are almost entirely prevented from doing so, by nearly 
insurmountable obstacles. — If they have a Garden at all, it must necessa- 
rily be in some nook or corner, in the outskirts of the town, where they 
have no other property but the Garden ; and the person who is generally 
employed at considerable expense to manage it, frequently occupies 
about twice as long in doing the necessary work, as he ought to do, 
and even then, it is often kept in very indifferent order. Indeed, the 
proprietors of such Gardens, generally know little how they should be 
managed, and are therefore more readily imposed upon. — But this is not 
the worst evil that attends a Garden so situated ; for, after all the expense 
and trouble that has been sustained, it not unfrequently happens, that 
some depredator steals into the Garden, and carries off nearly the whole 
year's produce in one night ; this is so repeatedly done, and is so dis- 
couraging, that it generally prevents such persons from introducing into 
their Gardens any-thing considered valuable, or that would furnish 
their tables with little luxuries. 
We have been repeatedly told by individuals, that this was the only 
reason why they were deterred from having a Garden, and that unless 
some means were devised to prevent the nightly robberies, it would be 
futile to attempt having one with any degree of satisfaction. It is much 
to be lamented that such is the fact : — its being so is the reason why we 
are mduced to suggest a plan, v.hich, if adopted, would entirely prevent 
this species of annoyance, and at the same time would be less expensive, 
better managed, and give far more security and satisfaction to persons so 
situated, than it is possible for them to have under the present mode of 
management. Subjoined is a plan we would recommend for dividing 
twelve acres and a half of ground into fifty small Gardens, each Garden 
coiitainnig one fourth of an acre. This space would be sufficiently 
large to produce vegetables and common fruit, for most small families. 
There would be no difficulty in establishing a Garden of this kind near 
every large town in the kingdom: and such as Birmingham, Man- 
chester, Sheffield, Liverpool, Leeds, Nottingham, &c., ought to have 
three or more of them, for the different classes of society ; and no town, 
however small, should be without one or more, as the size of the Garden 
might entirely depend on the number of persons who wish for little 
Gardens. In most large towns there are Gas Companies, Water Com- 
