394 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, September 21,1858. 
mistress or upon the nearest bough, and sings his song. In 
no instance has he refused to be fed, or neglected the usual 
call for him. 
We have heard a good deal about the robin redbreast, but 
cannot remember anything more interesting than the fact 
here recorded. It ought, perhaps, to be stated that the little 
follow has never been caught or confined, but is in his natural 
state. 
AN ALLOTMENT GARDENER’S ESTIMATE 
OF THE ALLOTMENT SYSTEM. 
W ill you let me have space in your valuable periodical to 
jot down a few thoughts on allotment gardens ? They appear 
to me to be a thorough English mode of affording recreation 
and health, and inducing habits of industry in the working 
classes and others. 
My atttention has been called to this fact by the success 
attending the adoption of this plan by Lord Calthorpe, who 
lias turned a meadow in the neighbourhood of the botanic 
garden of this town to that purpose. This field contains 
about twenty acres, which is apportioned into 150 gardens, 
divided by quickset hedges. They have now been in cultiva¬ 
tion about two seasons, and, from what I hear, give great 
satisfaction. The rent is 24 s. each per annum, payable half- 
yearly. As I have one myself, I can speak of the pleasure 
and profit derived from it; and I have witnessed the same in 
others. Especially on evenings during this past glorious 
season, it has been delightful to see these self-formed labourers 
returning with their spoil, after having subdued the stubborn 
soil. I know of as many as eight or nine workmen, from one 
of our large manufactories alone, who have gardens in this 
plot of ground. I humbly submit that this mode of furnish¬ 
ing recreation to the working classes is far preferable to that 
of parks, &c., though patronised by royalty itself; and if our 
rulers and public men would only take the trouble to look 
into this matter they would be of the same opinion. Besides, 
gardening has not this alloy, namely, that of tending to habits 
of expense in dress ; for who would think of attending a park 
except in his holiday clothes. I need not detail other ex¬ 
penses, such as refreshment, &c. Gardening, on the other 
hand, entails no such extra expenses,—the same dress, the 
same food as on ordinary days, is quite sufficient. I may be 
said to view this in a one-sided manner, but I appeal to the 
good sense of masters,—whether they would not rather have 
the workman who was fond of these rural pursuits, than the 
frequenter of parks, gymnasiums, or debating societies, not 
mentioning the attractions of the theatre or tavern ? Again 
I say, would that our rulers would take this to heart! 
May I append a query ? I wish to know why a Melon 
P^nt which has been very healthy, planted under a two-light 
orick frame, with a Cucumber, and kept rather drier than the 
Cucumber, should have all the young Melons fall off and fail ? 
Ibis is the second year that the same has happened to me. 
i- 0 me one said that it was because I had not inoculated 
than ; but I tried that plan, and did not find any difference. 
J. L. Phelps, Fdgbaston i ^Birmingham, 
C ant of sufficient moisture at the root, for Melons require 
a drier air, but not a drier soil than Cucumbers; want of 
sufficient heat; want of sufficient light and air; and many 
other wants may have been the cause of the young Melons 
falling. "W hich want was the cause no one can tell, without 
knowing more about your treatment of the plants.] 
“ TWO MEN SHALL BE IN THE FIELD.” 
{Tig the Authoress of “ Mg Flowers”) 
There is scarcely one of my readers, I dare affirm, that 
has not an interest in our Eastern empire, at this particular 
time. Every feeling of our hearts has been touched and 
lacerated,—and many hearts are bleeding still. High and 
low suffer together, and we love to dwell even on little in¬ 
cidents that belong to this afflicting period of our history,—a 
period thatse^ as if it could never end,—as if all the armies 
" us woild could not, without utter extermination, quench 
ie smouldering fire. What wonderful and supernatural 
escapes we have read of, and trembled over! and how 
solemn and silencing have some of the calamities been! 
David himself was tempted to wonder and murmur at the 
mysterious dealings of the Lord, and, until he “ went into 
the sanctuary of God,” he could not understand. Who 
can sound the depths of Almighty wisdom ? Who can look 
into His high decrees? The stretching forth of His hand, 
and the pouring out of His spirit, alone control the 
destinies of nations and the lives of men. Unless we read 
history, behold events, and view all things around us, by the 
light of Scripture, we must be led to murmur, or doubt, or 
disbelieve ! Without an open Bible, and a beam from 
Heaven upon its pages, how can we perceive “ the one shall 
be taken, and the other left ? ” 
Two young civil engineers were thrown into each other’s 
way in the course of their professional career, and formed a 
warm and sincere friendship. The elder of the two, R. G., 
was a man of some standing in his profession, also of talent 
and energy. He was employed in carrying on a large and 
important dock-work, and had been for a very long time 
located in a neighbourhood where no other gentleman was 
to be found, and where his only recreations were reading and 
the cultivation of a musical talent, which, under strict 
control , is often a sweet solace in retirement, and a benefit 
to those possessing it. The arrival of a young man to 
assist him in his labours was a pleasing event to Mr. G. 
They were both gentlemen in birth and education, and the 
younger, C. B., soon made himself a valuable accession of 
comfort to his superior. He was quick, steady to his work, 
full of life and spirit, and sufficiently advanced to be a com¬ 
panion in tastes and opinions. They also had both widowed 
mothers and were seeking to maintain themselves. This 
was a strong bond of union, and they would sit at leisure 
hours and discuss their anxieties, their hopes and their fears, 
and speculate upon what might be their professional im¬ 
portance in days to come. Mr. G, was a man of very decided 
opinions and high principles; this was of extreme ad¬ 
vantage to an inexperienced youth, so likely to receive lasting 
impressions from those among whom he dwelt. It was a 
halcyon time to both, but it quickly passed away. 
In less than two years from the arrival of young C.B., the 
works were completed, and the social intercourse of the 
friends ceased. Affection remained firm between them, how¬ 
ever, and a correspondence was kept up. Mr. G., anxious for 
employment and emolument, went to the Crimea, in the Army 
Works Corps, passing through many scenes of peril, but re¬ 
turning in safety, with honour and advantage, at the con¬ 
clusion of the war. 
Young B. in the meantime, anxious for employment in 
India,— then the wide and fertile field for British talent and 
enterprise,—offered himself to the Railway Company in that 
country, and obtained an appointment on the Calcutta and 
Delhi line. Just before he left England, his friend, Mr. G., 
spent two days with him. It was a farewell visit, and the 
friends believed they were about to part for years. The one 
was entering on a five years engagement in the East; and 
the other seeking a high situation in our own happy land. It 
is an affecting sight, when men in their days of youth and 
energy set forth on their different missions in life, plunging 
into a dim, misty, and unknown futurity, oftentimes so dif¬ 
ferent from their expectations, and blinded to the trials, 
perils, and disappointments, ivhich, like bulls of Basban, 
‘‘ close them in on every side.” Youth is not wont to provide 
itself with the “ five smooth stones from the brook it is, 
unhappily, but too ready to put on an armour which it has 
not proved, or to go forth in that joyousness of spirit, and 
fulness of confidence, specially belonging to the spring time 
of life, but which does not shield its head in the day of 
battle. The loving hand of a pitying and tender Father 
guides and defends them when they know it not; and who 
can estimate the power and prevailing efficacy of a mother’s 
prayers, when their sons are battling with the weary world ? 
In the solemn privacy of the mother's closet, what mighty 
things are done! 
In a very few weeks from the departure of C. B., his friend 
received an offer from the same Railway Company, to pro* 
ceed to India, to survey a projected line in Oude. It would 
be a short trip, but a lucrative one, and, as he was un¬ 
employed, he consented. It would fill up waiting time, and 
he would probably gain in every way by the undertaking. 
When Mr. G. gave in his acceptance of that offer, how little 
