All this is mere prejudice. The words and phrases are
not essential. What of the central idea ? We were told at Welwyn that there is plenty of room for a thousand garden cities in the Home' Counties and their neighbourhood alone. The prospect is a thing " imagination boggles at " ; and the best way to prevent imagination continuing to boggle is to see exactly what a garden city, what the latest garden city actually is and what it supplants. Some eight years ago a bit of country land, holding a farm or two, a cottage or two, and a country house, was bought—dirt cheap, as country land can be bought anywhere. You can buy as many acres as you like a little farther off London for £20, for £10, even for £5 an acre freehold with cottages. Within seven years of active work two thousand and more houses with gardens have been built, and to-day the population is 7,500, where it was, say, 50. A great theatre has been erected. Tennis courts are red with burnt earth and a bowling green soft with Cum- berland turf. Schools and banks have sprung up. Sand, gravel, and brick-clay . are exploited. Most important of appearances is the factory. Films and biscuits, sweets and iron are manufactured at the periphery.
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