THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
23 
April 11.] 
iluced,” “ precarious and uncertain ” means, imply a 
position of distressing embarrassment, and call for 
prompt and vigorous measures. The only income which 
can he depended upon, in the case of one correspondent, 
is more than swallowed up by the rent and other ex¬ 
penses of the house alone, the remainder is insecure and 
fluctuating. The house, if it is possible—I mean if the 
tenure admits of it—should at once be let, and the luxury 
abolished. Even an “under-duty” pony must he fed : 
and the very simplest equipage draws on many useless 
expenses, the tax is probably the least of them. A 
small, cheap house, on the outskirts of the town, if the 
other can be given up, would be a radical reform and 
an important saving, so would the pony carriage. Is it 
absolutely “ necessary for business ? ” or is it only very 
pleasant and very comfortable ? One servant might be 
found sufficient to carry on the work of the house where 
the mistress is in health, and actively determined to 
meet the exigencies of her situation. A husband, espe¬ 
cially if accustomed to see his wife in a position of ease 
and elegance, is distressed and agonised at the idea of 
seeing her reduced to the situation of, what he may call, 
“an upper servant;” but not even this affectionate 
regret must weigh one atom in the scale. The “ three 
little mouths” will in a short time need more than food; 
and such expenses will then arise as the parents of little 
children do not dream of; for this approaching time the 
father must prepare; and if he will lop and prune, I will 
venture to say his wife will cheerfully bear her burden and 
labour of love. Every halfpenny of an uncertain income 
should be scrupulously watched, and laid by if possible— 
nothing of it should be spent that can possibly be saved. 
Wine, and spirits, and beer, and meat, come also into 
the gentleman’s list of essentials. The glass of wine 
after dinner, the warm brandy-and-water after a day of 
fatigue, the hearty meat breakfast aud dinner, are things 
of such regular daily occurrence that they are not taken 
into the system of economy in many cases; but they are 
all expenses, and heavy ones, and are besides only 
luxuries. Meat once a day is quite sufficient for man’s 
support: look at the man who labours for his daily 
bread, and who is dismissed if he does not do a “ good 
day’s work;” does he taste meat once a week, once a 
month,—I might, in nine cases out of ten, add, once a 
year ? Let this silence the gentleman, at least when 
he is struggling to support a wife and children. 
All visiting should be as much given up as possible; 
it leads to a thousand expenses, and in many cases it is 
of no benefit at all. Friends will always win their way, 
in spite of the little we have to offer; and such are in¬ 
deed worthy of open hearts and arms; but the generality 
will do no real good, and much positive harm; and a 
busy mother and happy wife will have little time for the 
reception or return of formal visits. If the husband is 
but willing to be content with the society of his wife, 
and remember the asseverations he uttered “ once upon 
a time,” he will not be the less rich or happy as he 
I struggles onward in his worldly course. The expense 
i attending dinner company is too great for persons of 
! small means ; the mild term, “ a few friends in a quiet 
way,” sounds very cheap and plausible, hut if we are 
struggling for life we cannot do it, at least we ought not 
to do it, however tenderly we place the pleasure before 
I our eyes. The bills at the end of the week will he higher, 
economize as we will; and all who are obliged to take 
care of every penny well know that one friend coming 
in to dinner or tea tells in the weekly consumption. 
Professional men are very apt to fancy they must keep 
1 up a certain appearance before the world, and see a 
certain amount of company, by which they often involve 
themselves deeply, and are kept in a state of anxiety 
and difficulty injurious alike to the mind, the body, and 
the temper. If a gentleman cannot command the 
means, it is in vain to say, “we must have,” or “we 
must do so aud so:” we must not have, or do, that for 
which we cannot, or are not sure of being able, to pay ! 
Where incomes are uncertain they should be used with 
the most jealous care and caution. We know that we 
hold our firmest possessions only as “ daily bread,” 
bestowed meal by meal by the Giver of all good ; but, 
still, when human probabilities themselves appear dan¬ 
gerously insecure, wo ought, with the fidlest and firmest 
faith in the tender mercy of an Almighty and pitying 
Father, to walk as wisely as serpents, and act upon the 
perfect example of Him who spake as never man spake— i 
“ It is written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” 
We do tempt God when we act rashly, unadvisedly, dis- ; 
obediently ; and place ourselves in situations of peril or 
distress. 
With the utmost humility I lay these observations at 
the feet of the lords of the creation, because so much of 
effectual economy rests witli them. 
HINTS ON GARDENING FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. 
In offering a few hints on the subj ect of gardening to the 
youthful readers of The Cottage Gardener, I must 
begin by disclaiming any intention of writing a regular 
treatise on the subject,—that is beyond my powers; all 1 
wish to do, is to endeavour to encourage a taste for this 
delightful amusement in the young, aud to let them see 
how easily, and with how little expense or trouble, they 
may succeed in rearing common flowers, and keeping 
their own little gardens neat. 
I write for those who are rather past the age of digging 
up their seeds every second day to see if they are grow¬ 
ing; though I will not deny having some sympathy with 
those who do so, for I did it myself when young; and 1 
confess, even now I occasionally lift a cutting of pansy 
or pink to ascertain if they are beginning to take root. 
I have said, 1 will shew you with how little expense or 
trouble common flowers may be raised, but I write for 
those who think the trouble a pleasure : flowers will not 
grow, weeds will not disappear, unless we work, and work 
in right earnest too. Idle wishes will do as little good 
here, my young friends, as in more important matters ; 
you do not hope to conquer your faults, to root out bad 
habits, to improve your characters, and to have the fruits 
and flowers of a Christian life grow up within you, by 
wishing merely ! It is not one of the least recommen¬ 
dations of the delightful occupation of gardening, that 
it suggests many heavenly and profitable thoughts. 
Analogies are frequently drawn in Scripture from its 
operations, and it seems to me that it is “ the sole bliss 
of Paradise that has survived the fallfor Adam’s occu¬ 
pation, before labour was laid on him as a punishment, 
was to dress and to keep the Garden of Eden. 
I know few people, indeed, who do not like flowers, but 
I do know a good many who dislike the trouble of rear¬ 
ing them. At one time I thought the love of gardening 
was inborn in some people, and could not be acquired; 
but I have seen instances to the contrary, and have 
known persons who, though living in the country for 
years, cared not for gardening become fond of it, and 
devote much of their time to this fascinating pursuit. 1 
take for granted, however, that the young readers of The 
Cottage Gardener have already a love of gardening; 
aud like not only the flowers, but the labour of rearing 
them ; and to such I would now offer a few hints. 
Let your garden be your own property. —Sometimes 
young people have a border in the garden called theirs, 
or a plot of flowers near the house which they under¬ 
take to keep free from weeds, hut they do not consider 
themselves as responsible for it. The gardener puts it in 
order if they neglect it; the gardener plants out gera¬ 
niums, &c., in it, and lifts them at the proper time ; the 
gardener, in short, has the chief charge, and it is not your 
garden. Now, what I would advise is this: get a bit ot 
ground to yourself, no matter how small, and let it he 
