FROM THE OLD BOOK

Hi, I've been browsing through my old gardening books which go back to the 1850's and after posting "Costs of Gardening 1920 -2011" which showed the costs of running an allotment back in the 1920's I thought it might be a good idea to keep browsing through the books and post extracts from them which might raise your eyebrows on the cost of things in the old days, the comments of the then experts, the methods they used and the chemicals they used, so hopefully the extracts will be interesting and cause you to comment on anything that my browsing brings up and maybe give you an insight of what went on way back then. One last thing! - the pound just after the Great War had 20 shillings, 240 pence to the pound, 12 pence to the shilling, the Guinea, halfpenny, farthing and sovereign were in use!

Cost of vegetable 1918/1920
s d
"10 heads of lettuce at 1d 10p
1 peck of peas 2/6p
1 peck of broad beans 2/6p
2 stone early potatoes 4s 8p "

An extract about bees from the same period which might surprise you when you consider the article was published more than 90 odd years ago.

"One hundred years ago the little brown bees and their straw skeps were essential features in the gardens
of both cottager and squire. Today the reverse holds good, and owing to a variety of causes the bees and
their hives are conspicuous as a rule by their absence and we are the poorer for it"

The above has shattered my illusion of the old days being full of the droning of the bees!


Here's an extract about birds which has changed some
what!


"The Magpie is a rare bird in many districts. It goes for cherries like the Rook, to which it is allied, but like owls and hawks should never be destroyed."

Makes you think???

 

Hi Clueless,
I thought everyone knew a peck is a quarter of a bushel!!

Whoops!! I forgot you aren't all as old as me

It was a dry measure of 2 gallons (used to be measured in a special container but quite often referred to a standard sack of grain that was about a third of a cubic ft).
I remember when I was young that an allotment holder was carrying a bucket of spuds and said that it was approx a peck.

 

RE: FROM THE OLD BOOK [2]

Here's an extract on how and when Allotments were officially recognised:

"ALLOTMENTS ACT 1922 - Allotment holders are to some extent protected by the Allotments Act of 1922 which provides for compensation to them in certain cases on the termination of their tenancies. It also lays down the rules for the determination of land owned by local authorities. The Act further lays down the rules for the compulsory acquisition of Allotments in certain cases. It compels local councils to establish local Allotment Committees, where necessary, in every borough or urban district with a population of 10,000 and upwards, unless exempted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries after consultation with the Ministry of Health.
One section of the Act provides that any person who by act done without lawful authority or by negligence causes damage to any allotment garden, crops or fences, or buildings thereon, shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding £5, but this provision will not apply unless notice of the provision is conspicuously displayed on the allotment garden."

A bit "dry" but you can see how long it took after the Great War to push official protection for allotment holders through Parliament - even though allotments came to the rescue during the nation food crisis in that period.

Here's a bit about the National Allotment Society. [Again 1920]

"This Society is the Headquarters of the Allotment movement in England and Wales. It's object is the circulation of information on all matters appertaining to the Allotment movement, and the securing of improved legislation and better conditions for Allotments. A monthly bulletin is issued free to all members.The National Allotments Journal is published quarterly, price 8d, per dozen. Subscriptions: Individual Members 5s minimum per annum, in addition to taking up 2s 6d share on admission. For Associates: One 2s 6d for a fully paid up share when joining, and an annual affiliation contribution based on 3d per member"

Does anyone know if this Society is still in existence? The way Councils are closing Allotments in great numbers during this recession I doubt it.

Here's a lovely recipe they used for insecticide during the early 19th century onwards:

"ARSENATE OF LEAD A stomach insecticide used for the destruction of caterpillars, beetles, sawfly larvae and all kinds of leaf eating insects. A heavy white powder, very slightly soluble in water. Arsenate of lead is sold in three forms - powder, paste, and cream. Fine division of the substance is very important.as the capacity for remaining suspended in water for a reasonably long time is dependent upon this quality. In arsenic paste the amount od arsenic, expressed as arsenic oxide, is usually about 15 per cent and of such a paste from 4-8 ozs would be required to 10 gallons of water. Arsenic of lead should be applied as a fine misty spray, the object being to cover the foliage without allowing the spray to drip from the leaves"

I hope they washed their hands afterwards!!

 

Why? Is there something that has replaced it?

 

And we had to do that in our heads, with one eye closed and standing on one leg! :D



The youngsters today don't know what hard work is

 

Great thread Armandii.. I love looking back through the old books.. The weights measures & money had far more interesting names then..!! :D
Hence the tongue twister rhyme...
[size=large]

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled pepper;

A peck of pickled pepper Peter Piper picked;

If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled pepper

Where’s the peck of pickled pepper Peter Piper picked?[/size]

 

Hi Marley

We had to learn that in school and I can still say it clearly and get through it in 7 seconds - just timed myself

There were lots of tongue twisters that we had to learn. Like 'She sells sea shells....' and 'I want a proper cup of coffee....'

 

I'm not one for saying that it was good old days because it wasn't but I'd did, along with a lot of people, get taught to do mental arithmetic until it was a natural thing to do. It was nice to be in a meeting and when a problem was "thrown in the air" to be able to come up with the answer when everyone else was reaching for pen and paper or their calculator! It was nothing to do with brains but something that had be given to you by the teachers [God bless 'em]. It's surprising how many people don't know about the old worth of the pound. When it was decimalized the cost of living went up, which was inevitable when you reduced the pound from 240 pennies to just 100! I preferred the old system where you got more value for your money but then I also prefer Fahrenheit to Celsius because I think it's more exact!
I couldn't say "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers" whenever I was sober, never mind when drunk!
Ziggy, trust you to pick that rhyme!!!
Jeez, Harry, I don't think my metal arithmetic stretched to that one of yours!