THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
220 
Political themes are excluded from our pages, and too 
grateful are we for thus escaping from the anger, ma.ice. 
and uncharitableness almost inseparable from their dis¬ 
cussion, voluntarily to risk a departure from the exclu¬ 
sion even in a single instance. Tf we resolved sometimes 
to relax from our rule, one such relaxation should he for 
the consideration of the present condition of the cultiva¬ 
tors of the soil. But we will be proof against even this 
temptation, and we will go no further than to acknow¬ 
ledge, what all the world knows, that the said cultivators 
are” complaining that they are labouring under great 
distress. We will not venture to state the proofs which 
they offer to show the amount of that distress, nor the 
evidences which those who deny the existence of the 
distress have adduced. We will not thus venture, 
because, though Justice herself guided our hand, and 
though Truth herself trimmed our lamp, still one party 
or the other would say, “it’s pretty plain in which 
direction that is prejudiced.” Now, as we are no parti- 
zans, we will not subject ourselves to any such suspi¬ 
cions ; but, as we have a few relative observations and 
statements to make, we will suppose—and nothing more, 
_ we will suppose the distress does exist; and we will 
further suppose, that we had (which is consonant with 
truth) this question placed before us, “ W hat can be 
done, with wheat at 40s. per quarter? ” 
We should reply, as strictly within our province, that 
three things can be done. In the first place, not because 
the most important, but because it comes forcibly upon 
us in connection with an admirable discourse we heard 
delivered yesterday on the text, “ Bear ye one another’s 
burdens.” In the first place, we think that landlords 
should reduce their rents. It is quite true,—as more than 
once has been observed by a landlord or his representa¬ 
tive,—it is quite true, that if wheat had risen instead of 
having fallen, the tenant would not have paid more 
rent; but the cases are not parallel. The parallel case 
is this:—Suppose a landlord, owing to that rise of prices, 
was on the brink of ruin, would his tenants agree to an 
advance of ten per cent, upon their rental to aid him ? 
We think they ought; therefore we think the same equity 
presses upon him when the circumstances are reversed. 
There is no law to compel either party to help the other 
to bear his burden, but there is the voice of duty, which 
is entitled to as much respect as any section of the 
statute book. 
In the second place, “what can be done, is for the 
cultivator to reduce his expenditure by scrupulously 
eschewing every outlay, however trivial, that is not 
needed. We can tell him, from evidence that cannot 
mislead, that for the mere essentials of living, a family of 
five, with their two domestics, need not exceed £120. 
In what the non-essentials amount to, is comprised the 
expenditure upon which economy may bo effectually 
exercised; and we here include dress, because it is one 
of those items beyond all others that can be effectively 
tested by the inquiry, “ What we can do, and what we 
can do without.” What the cultivator of the soil can do 
[July 11. 
without, of whatever nature, it is his imperative duty to 
refrain from; for if there is one equity more palpable 
than another, it is that which says, he should be self- 
denying who requires another to be self-denying for him. 
The reduction of expenditure is to be carried, without 
any reasonable complaint, much further than many of 
our readers may imagine; and we have within a bow¬ 
shot of us one of the most successful of merchants, who 
says, “ I have succeeded because, even when I began 
life, I never allowed my expenditure to exceed my 
income.” 
In the third place, “ what can be done,” is for the cul¬ 
tivator to improve liis tillage. This may be an unpa¬ 
latable lesson, but we are convinced of its practicability 
and necessity, and we speak our conviction boldly. 
Many of our readers will sneer at the doctrine, but when 
the same doctrine was uttered to an Irish peasant who 
turned up his potato ground by the aid of a horse 
attached to the plough by his tail, that peasant sneered 
also, and even required an Act of Parliament to compel 
him to use traces. There are those alive who have wit¬ 
nessed the improvement of our stock, the introduction 
of drill husbandry, the due rotation of crops, the use of 
swedes and mangold-wurtzel, the application of artificial 
manured, and the employment of deep drainage; yet, 
before these improvements were effected, was there a 
farmer alive who would not have ridiculed the advice to 
improve his tillage ? We are well assured that it is still 
open to great and highly remunerative improvements; 
and as facts are antagonists that even the stoutest yeo¬ 
man is puzzled to overthrow, we will offer a few for him 
to wrestle with. They are introduced to us by the fol¬ 
lowing letter from our Publisher, and if they fancy he is 
not a straightforward, trust-worthy character, let them 
obtain a contrary conviction by having five minutes con¬ 
versation with him in Paternoster-Row :— 
“ I observe many communications are addressed to 
you, requiring information as to the best and most pro¬ 
fitable mode of employing, and the results that may be 
expected from the skilful management of a few acres. 
As applicable to these inquiries, I enclose you a copy of 
an account furnished me by a distinguished member of 
the Corporation of London, which will answer many of 
the questions put to you by those correspondents, and 
which will probably satisfy some of your agricultural 
friends that there is still hope for them, if they employ 
their means with skill and energy. 
“ The crops to which the accounts relate, I can testify 
were the finest I have ever seen; and it is well known in 
the neighbourhood that the produce was as here stated. 
The situation being within six miles of London, is, of 
course, most favourable both for markets and manure, 
but otherwise for labour; and the only objection I have 
heard raised to the account is, that the charge for ma¬ 
nure is insufficient. Be that as it may, and making a 
considerable allowance on that score, it does not show 
farming to be without its prizes in the lottery of lile. 
“ June 21, 1850. Your Publisher." 
