6 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
October 3. 
plea, this will prove the greatest antidote to revelling 
amid the grovelling and the gross. The physical is 
cared for; but the intellectual, and the moral, likewise, 
must he nourished. Books, lectures, sermons, have a 
charm and an interest unknown before. Many, who 
rail at the public-house, forget, that in many cases it is 
the only change, excitement, and mode of enjoyment a 
man can have. Society, something to think and talk 
about, must be had. If the pure is not obtainable, 
what must be the general result? As powerful inci¬ 
dental means of social amelioration, I would advocate 
cottage gardens, and village reading-rooms, as at Seal. 
Then, lastly, there is the feeling of self-respect and 
comparative independence fostered. The good supply 
of valuable food is, of itself, a great advantage. There 
are not quite so many streams for the little-money wages 
to run into, and by degrees an air of greater comfort 
prevails. But this is not all; new feelings and aspira¬ 
tions are developed within. Notions about the parish 
and the union are exchanged for the noble desire to 
support himself and his by bis own industry. He plants 
his foot more firmly on the earth as he feels he is now a 
free man, resolving never more, if blessed with health 
and strength, to receive the dole of the pauper. I 
believe that such a feeling of self-respect and enlightened 
independence will do much to efface the mischief that 
an indiscriminate charity has too often produced. Two 
facts are just now come into my mind. In a village, 
where most of the labourers were paid well, 1 witnessed 
a whole troop of women, married ladies, young and old, 
trooping off to the parsonage to get a sixpence each, as 
an eleemosynary gift, in the majority of these cases 
there was no charity in giving, and I know there was no 
gratitude in receiving. On another occasion, a lady 
commissioned a servant to give a flannel jacket to all 
her workmen, and all took it with thanks, without asking 
a question ; but one hard-working man, who was well- 
known to have brought up his family in such a respect¬ 
able way that ho and his wife must have submitted to 
many self-sacrifices, at once inquired whether it was 
given in charity or as a present from her ladyship, be¬ 
cause, added the true-hearted fellow, “ in the latter case 
I will be proud to receive it, but in the former case 1 
should decline, as, thank Heaven, there are many more 
needful than I am." He was merely a sample of what 
the encouragement of the love of gardening, and the 
attendant advantages I have glanced at, was instru 
mental in producing,—one of those bold, enlightened, 
self-respecting, and respecting-others, peasantry, that 
constitute, not merely the “pride” but the very heart’s 
blood, back bone, honor and security of a land. 
I shall care little about any criticism on the incident- 
alism of these remarks, if they only tell in the proper 
quarter. Many splendid specimens- of cultural skill, 
even from cottagers, were passed unrewarded at Nor¬ 
thampton, just because there, and elsewhere, landed pro¬ 
prietors, and rich tradesmen, content themselves with 
giving a trifling subscription, and leave active, working- 
for-love-committees to struggle as they may. Would 
that some eloquent tongue would demonstrate that there 
is in these institutions something more noble and spirit- 
elevating than the mere pleasure of the passing hour. 
Let the physical, the intellectual, the moral improve¬ 
ment which the love of gardening encourages, be dwelt on 
by all means, but let an appeal be also made to the 
breeches-pocket interest. All that has ever been done 
to elevate the condition of the working man is but as a 
drop in the bucket compared with what it has cost, by 
forced taxation, to support the idle, and to restrain and 
punish the vicious. A few pounds spent directly, or 
indirectly, in fostering the love of gardening and its 
attendant consequences, might save tens and hundreds, 
that must, however reluctantly, be doled out for work- 
houses, police, and gaols. Will such a state of things 
always continue? Will cheap, pleasant prevention never 
be found more advisable than costly, unpleasant re¬ 
medies ? 
Yeyetables. —For these Northampton has long been 
celebrated, and it outdid itself on the present occasion. 
They were truly magnificent, and such quantities of 
them,—not one inferior article present. There was a 
very keen contest among the cottagers, as well as among 
amateurs, market-gardeners, and gentlemen’s gardeners. 
Among the cottagers, J. Harris, of Hardiugstone, car¬ 
ried oft'the prizes for a collection of six vegetables, and 
a collection of three kinds of fruit. Besides four prizes 
for each of these collections, there were several prizes 
for single dishes of all the best vegetables, as Kidney 
Potatoes, Round Potatoes, Carrots, Turnips, Onions, 
Beans, and then throe separate prizes, by private indi¬ 
viduals, for the three best collections of six vegetables, 
so that the tables actually bent under the fine and ele¬ 
gant display. The same thing may be said of the fruit 
in the cottagers’ class. I noticed a good share of the 
prizes went to workmen at Courtecn Ilall, and no doubt 
they get good lessons there. William and John Arnold 
figured frequently on the winning cards. The collec¬ 
tions exhibited by market-gardeners were also splendid, 
Mr. Watts taking the lead with eight kinds of vegetables 
and twelve sorts of Potatoes, closely followed, in the 
former case, by Mr. Graty, and in the latter case by 
Mr. Archer, who has kindly promised us an outline of 
the merits of the various kinds of Potatoes exhibited, 
many of them being so fine as to defy all attempts at 
recognition when contrasted with the same kinds in 
other parts of the country. A pleasing fact still re¬ 
mains to be chronicled. I heard some people remark, 
at the cottagers’ tables, “Aye, just what J always 
say, if you want to see fine vegetables, you must 
go to the cottagers for them.” Some gentlemen are 
opposed to their gardeners exhibiting, because they 
would pay so much attention to flowers, that there would 
be endless short-comings at the parlour table, and in the 
province of the artiste of the kitchen. There may have 
been reasons for this conclusion ; but not a shade of 
a manifestation was present on the Pith. The produc¬ 
tions of cottagers, amateurs, and market-gardeners, were 
worthy of all praise; but the collections and separate 
dishes of Messrs. Barber, Mackio, Gulliver, Collins, 
Johnson, Worall, &c., were quite up to them ; while the 
collection of eight vegetables belonging to Mr. Gardener 
outshone the whole, every dish being first-rate—large, 
well-grown, and yet young, crisp, and sweet. The col¬ 
lection consisted of Turnips, Carrots, Parsnips, Kidney 
Potatoes, French Beans, Beet Root, Onions, and Globe 
Artichokes. The Potatoes, as a whole, were, perhaps, 
the most remarkable among the vegetable productions. 
Among the most striking, I noticed the following among 
the Kidneys:— Engineers, Napoleon, Lapstone, Flukes, 
Jackson’s Improved, and a Seedling from Mr. Betts, a 
gentleman in the town. As this latter was shown 
separately, or from some mistake, it was highly com¬ 
mended, instead of being awarded a prize. It seemed to 
be derived from a Lapstone, if it was not one, being of the 
same flat shape, but much larger than any other samples 
of that variety. A gentleman told me it was not raised 
by Mr Betts, but that a potato had been sent him as a 
new Seedling, that he planted and saved the produce; 
and that not long after, the servant cooked tho most 
ol them in a mistake, but that he has now obtained 
a fair stock from the remainder, and speaks highly of it 
as a producer, and for its good qualities at table. Another 
person, I think Mr. klackie, told me, that the habit of 
the plant when growing was very different from the 
Lapstone. There can be no question that it will be an 
acquisition if distinct and good flavoured. Among 
the Rounds, I noticed five specimens of Fleck's Early, 
Early Manly, Regent's , York Regent's, Flower Ball, 
