238 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
August 
near Birkenhead, who may he considered as the 
steward of this allotment estate. 
CONDITIONS OF LETTING, AND RULES TO BE OBSERVED 
BY THE TENANTS. 
1. —The rent to be paid annually on the first Saturday in August. 
2. —The tenant to give up possession at any time on receiving three 
months’ notice. The amount of compensation (if any) to which 
he may be entitled for crop in the ground to be determined by 
the committee. 
3. —No tenant is allowed to re-let his allotment, to plant fruit-trees 
therein, or any labour to be done in it on Sundays. 
4. —The fence, and road adjoining to and opposite each allotment, to 
be kept in repair by the occupier of such allotment (by road is 
meant that within the enclosure). 
5. —Any dispute that may arise amongst the tenants, having reference 
to these allotments, to be referred to the committee, whose deci¬ 
sion is to be binding. 
6 . —Any tenant who may not comply with the foregoing conditions, 
or who may be convicted of any offence against the laws of the 
realm, will be at once deprived of his allotment; and the Society 
wish to impress upon the tenants that the retention of their respec¬ 
tive allotments will depend on their own industry, sobriety, and 
general good conduct. 
Seacombe is a village in Cheshire, close to Birken¬ 
head, and Mr. Henderson adds these particulars 
concerning its allotments:— 
of view (neither, I am well aware, do the gentlemen 
connected with the society), but I contemplate in it 
that genuine philanthropic spirit, which yearns for 
the bettering of the condition and contributing to the 
happiness of our fellow men; of withdrawing the 
mechanic and the labourer from the haunts of vice, 
folly, and demoralization; from the contaminating 
influence of the beer shops, and inducing him to 
employ his leisure hours in a garden, where, while 
his intellect is kept clear and his mind serene, he is 
preserving his bodily health, and, at the same time, 
adding to the resources and comforts of his family. 
Surely there can be no scene so truly gratifying to 
the properly constituted mind as to see the bronzed, 
sturdy labourer, with interested mien, cheered by ‘his 
thriftie wifie’s smile,’ who, seated near him on the 
‘ green cope,’ 
‘ Wi’ her needle an’ her shears, 
Gars auld claes look amaist as weel as new,’ 
whilst the youngsters ply the hoe, or by hand eradi¬ 
cate the intruding weed. Then fancy such a family, 
‘ labour o’er,’ set round the clean though humble 
board, enjoying the well-earned ‘ crust and cheese,’ 
with the addition of a salad of their 1 ain reelin’,’ and, 
if you will, a cup of beer, brought home to be shared 
by all, not sottislily drank with boon companions on 
the skittle or ninepin ground. 
“ Such a picture, thank God, is not now an un¬ 
common occurrence in ‘ happy old England;’ but I 
would have them multiplied until every w r aste com¬ 
mon and barren bog shall be covered with luxuriant 
and thrifty vegetation, ameliorating the stubborn 
soil and the human heart at the same time, scorning 
alike the workhouse and the corn laws. 
“I hold there is much of the nature of a libel in 
the reiterated opinion that the labouring class, as a 
body, are improvident. First place a man in a 
position to better his condition ere you condemn his 
want of energy and thriftiness. Illustrative of this 
allow me to relate a case coming under my own 
notice. Some years ago, while residing in Scotland, 
a nobleman remarked to me, ‘ I wish you would 
instill into the minds of our countrymen the same 
desire for tidiness and order in their dwellings and 
gardens so universally evinced among the cottagers 
in England.’ My reply was, ‘ My lord, first put 
them in the same position; give them a place to 
live deserving the name of “ cottage,” and pull down, 
blow up, or burn these miserable hovels.’ These 
hovels were merely four walls, having one opening 
in the side by way of door, two other holes to let in 
light, miscalled windows, and another hole in the 
apex of the roof to let out the smoke; nothing to 
divide this ‘bothie’ into apartments but tlie back of 
the huge press bedsteads, and destitute of ceiling or 
covering to the roof-timbers and thatcli. The reply 
was characteristic of the man, ‘Let me have,’ says he, 
‘ a plan for such cottages as you would recommend.’ 
They were produced, the cottages were erected with 
all appurtenances (on a small scale) of a comfortable 
cottage ; tbe miniature flower-garden in front (instead 
of a midden and puddle), tbe China roses against the 
walls, the back-door, covered ash-pit, &c., and the 
neat kitchen-garden. Having left Scotland before 
all was carried out, I did not have the pleasure of 
congratulating the proprietor on his spirited example 
and tbe tenants on tlieir changed position.” 
The following bears such honourable testimony to 
tbe decorum and good conduct of those of our fellow- 
“ The garden allotments at Seacombe were brought 
into existence through the exertions of some gene¬ 
rously disposed gentlemen residing in the immediate 
neighbourhood. A few of the names of the more 
prominent promoters of this truly philanthropic 
little scheme being — Smith, Esq., ■— Venny, Esq., 
H. Winch, Esq., — Blackburn, Esq., the Rev. Mr. 
Roberts, tbe clergyman of the place, and Mr. T. Dean. 
These gentlemen form a committee of management; 
the Rev. Mr. Roberts being chairman, and Mr. Dean 
secretary. The present aspect of the allotments tes¬ 
tifies most clearly and encouragingly to the success 
of the society and its good management, as well as 
to the industry and perseverance of the tenants. 
This would forcibly appear to you, had you but seen 
the state of the land at this time last year—then, a 
piece of the most uneven and uninviting portions of 
common land upon which you have, perhaps, ever 
looked ; full of clay holes, and partly swamp, with a 
ditch of stagnant arid pestiferous filth (not water) 
traversing its length. Tbe first step taken by the 
committee was to have an efficient main drain formed 
in the centre, into which the side drains enter. The 
boundary fence was next put up, and then the ground 
was divided into 36 allotments, of 400 square yards 
each, for which each tenant is to pay a rent of 10s. 
per annum. This, though a seemingly high rent 
(about T6 per acre), yet it must be remembered tliat 
tbe landlord, the lord of the manor, will receive no 
rent, at least only a nominal one, and the committee, 
after the necessary expenses for keeping up the 
boundary fence, &c., are defrayed, will return tbe 
surplus in tbe shape of prizes among the tenants, 
for the best kept and most judiciously managed allot¬ 
ments. In addition to this, Mr. Winch has kindly 
supplied, gratuitously, the poorer tenants with garden 
seeds. 
“ I have been requested to direct my attention from 
time to time as to the manner in which the allotments 
are cropped and kept; and, in the month of Septem¬ 
ber, to report on the whole, specifying, of course, 
particular sections, with my opinion as to the best 
arranged, or any other commendation I may deem 
deserved, either by the produce, quality, succession, 
or order, &c. 1 need hardly tell you with how much 
pleasure I endeavour to second the views and efforts 
oi a society taking up such a benevolent undertak¬ 
ing. I do not speak of this ‘ benevolence’ as being 
so commendable in a pecuniary or charitable point 
