October 3. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
to please this straight, go-a-liead fraternity; for, even 
with the fate of the old man and his ass before us, I 
believe that much maybe done towards pleasing every 
body, if we thoroughly and zealously try. This is, no 
doubt, a hard statement for those who have much to do 
with the egotistical impracticables of society in general, 
and the out-jutting, sharp, angular points of humanity, 
that too frequently manifest themselves at provincial 
horticultural and floral gatherings in particular. Some 
committees of management that I have met with, by 
great study and exertion, have actually got into the 
knack of pleasing every body but themselves ; and what 
has been done once may be done again, not in one, but 
in every department of life. If we “ never give up”—toss 
sulks, dumps, and lions in the path, to the winds, what 
is there that determination and perseverance cannot 
accomplish ? 
Now, with every desire to please, and with a resolution 
to keep my eye on the main walk of a subject, I must 
stipulate for the liberty of now and then having a peep 
into all the bye-paths connected with it; and first to 
know, and then let others know, the “ whys”' and the 
“ wherefores” of their uses aud destinations. This may 
lead to a seeming divergence, at times, from the stereo¬ 
typed route, from which no consideration would tempt 
our very quiet, orderly people—partly, because they will 
not be troubled, (“ canna be fashed”), to make the 
necessary exertion ; and partly, because they are more 
manacled by a coteried punctilio than the silly monkey 
was, who had not sense enough to open his fist, and 
thus extract it from the narrow mouth of the sugar-jar 
that kept him a captive. 
The fact is, that with every due regard to that know¬ 
ledge and means of improvement that streams upon us 
with the brilliance of noonday splendour, I have very 
great faith in the influence of that more mellowed light 
that arrests one’s attention by its appearing, unexpect¬ 
edly, incidentally. I have listened to brilliant and 
eloquent denunciations against vice, errors, and pre¬ 
judices; but where were the myriads of the converted 
and reformed? I have heard plain, forcible, because 
heartfelt, exhibitions of the good and the true; and with¬ 
out arousing opposition, prejudices were undermined; 
aud thus errors aud vices were toppled over as thoroughly, 
but much less noiselessly, than if battered down by force 
of argument and logic. The true social reformer will 
often find that a parade of gaudy machinery impedes 
him in his work. All talk and little do; all cry and 
little wool, are too often their attendants. Until human 
nature is changed, men will be acted upon incidentally, 
when their pride spurns the idea of being operated upon 
directly. 
Among these incidental means of social amelioration, 
I claim no very secondary place for the love of gardening 
as fostered among the masses by provincial societies. 
I enter not now upon questions previously discussed, as 
to where, and how far, gentlemen’s gardeners should 
take a prominent part in them. Whatever opinion 
gardeners and their employers may hold on these 
matters, and with perfect fairness and consistency, J 
have never heard their utility disputed, as affecting our 
peasantry and artisans. But even hero their chief value 
is to be found, not in the generally seen aud direct, but 
in the incidental and gradual results, which, in them¬ 
selves, prove richer rewards than any prizes a society 
could bestow, but which might never have been reached 
without this or other kindred excitements to exertion. For 
instance, I have heard well-informed people, when view¬ 
ing such superior garden productions as the cottagers’ 
exhibited at Northampton, speak patronisingly of the 
benefit which such a superior and increased supply must 
be to the man and his family. Now, I am far from un¬ 
dervaluing the advantage of this, merely as it affects the 
first question, and yet there arc less obvious, more in¬ 
cidental advantages that seem to be rather more im¬ 
portant; advantages that are no dream of romance, but 
which have frequently come under our own observation 
and experience; and a few of which I will merely notice. 
First, there is the habit of industry produced. Get a 
man thoroughly fond of working among his vegetables 
and flowers, and you will look in vain for him lounging 
in company with his old companions, with pipe in 
mouth, and hands dug in pockets, as if he was ashamed 
to see them, while his burley back keeps up a fence-post. 
If you wanted a good day’s work done, who would you 
employ ? the idle lounger; or he who is seen actively 
and usefully engaged from “early morn to dewy eve?” 
Then, there is the habit of cleanliness. Dirt seems a 
second nature of some people. Much, however, may at 
times be urged in extenuation, owing to the tumble- 
down hovels in which they live. I have often seen a 
nice cottage and garden completely change the outward 
appearance of a man and his family. The clean garden, 
the pretty flowers, were an ever present argument 
against all untidiness. I have known several cases 
where this silent argument was so powerful, that those 
rather slovenly in their persons and clothing, brushed 
themselves up before they visited the neatly-kept gardens 
of their neighbours. 
Then, there is the benefit of temperance. Many cottage j 
gardeners in Hertfordshire may have their beer; and 
many in Northamptonshire may get down a fair allow¬ 
ance of drink; but in proportion as the love of the 
garden, and especially of flowers increases, there is less 
likelihood of going to excess, as the very industry and 
cleanliness they have acquired will also teach them self- 
respect. There can be no question, but the love of the 
drink keeps our working-classes from hand to. mouth, 
unable to make a single move to raise themselves in the 
social scale. Unless, in the case of actual teetotallers, 
1 know of few instances where the influence of the love 
j of the garden has led men to drink wholly from the 
same crystal liquid as that with which they supply their 
j favourite plants; but I have known of many a uoisy 
tap-room roysterer, who now enjoys, and only on high 
occasions, his glass and pipe with his wife and family 
at his own fire-side. 
Hence, again, the industrious cottage gardener be¬ 
comes a good example for his family and friends to 
imitato. We cannot easily escape the influences of the 
circumstances in which we are placed. Humanly 
speaking, it is next to folly to expect some young people 
to do well. Society, some day, may find it even cheaper 
i to prevent, than to cure and to punish. Do everything 
to foster habits of industry and prudent forethought, 
and one great element of danger is in the way of being 
counteracted. An old adage tells us, that a certain 
personage, whose name must not bo whispered to ears 
polite, in these wondrous civilised times, “Always finds 
work for idle hands to do.” Let no hands, nor heads 
either, be idle. 
Even this latter result is greatly promoted by attention 
to cottage gardens. They ever preach sermons in the 
most homely and familiar language. Thoughtfulness is 
an inseparable attendant on good gardening. All think, 
—the most ignorant, as well as the most intelligent. 
Wherever there is reason, however begrimmed and 
beclouded, there is and must be thought, ever, con¬ 
tinually, sweeping through the brain. But, what boots 
thought, without object; what is its value without con¬ 
centration? Many an uneducated man has first felt 
the powers of his own mind—the stirrings of Divinity J 
within him—as, in contemplating and examining a 
flower, he found himself in direct contact with the 
handiwork of all intelligence, the source and centre of 
all thought. 
Then, again, this will lead to study, and yearnings 
after general intelligence; and, next to religious princj- 
