BULLETIN DE LA SOCIETE CENTRALE D'HORTICULTURE. 



521 



enough of these establishments in France, and 

 there is none which ia bo truly economical to the 

 country. And, further still, let us compare this 

 life of activity, of agricultural and horticultural 

 labor and interest — these moral and instructive 

 teachings — with the lessons of vice that children 

 ive in the work-houses and prisons!! 



" If we may be allowed to express a wish, re- 

 garding the instruotion of these pupils, it is that 

 oritare "i' seedlings, and of green-house plants, 

 might be added to it, in order to complete the 

 horticultural instruction, so that on leaving the 

 establishment, the pupils might be able to under- 

 take every kind of culture. Let us hope that the 

 government will facilitate this by coming to the 

 aid of the director. 



'•' If we penetrate to the interior of the estab- 

 lishment, we should never believe ourselves in 

 the midst of a house of correction or prison. 

 What do I say? A prison? No, no, this name 

 can never be bestowed upon it; here are no grat- 

 ings, no bolts, no turnkey, no armed guards; 

 here, all breathes of liberty; the bond which re- 

 tains these children, is one of gratitude, and the 

 attatchment they bear to the directors for the 

 benefits they receive, is, for them, an impassable 

 wall. They are no longer prisoners: they are 

 farmers — they are gardeners. 



" A wise independence, prudently controlled, is 

 granted them; they choose their superintendents, 

 subject to the ratification of the directors; they 

 inflict punishment, subject to confirmation; records 

 and degrees are also conferred by them. Emula- 

 tion, the desire of pleasing their chiefs and direc- 

 tors, are the motives of their action and their la- 

 bors. Honesty, decorum and order prevail among 

 them at all times; it is a new life into which these 

 children enter. 



"Judge, then, what a change it is for them! 

 If a convict arrives in the city prisons, and des- 

 tined for the reform school, he is brought to those 

 prisons surrounded by armed men and received by 

 jailors. How does he leave them? A child, one 

 of the young farmers alone presents himself,bearing 

 the order of remission; atsight of the ministerial de- 

 cision, the prisoner is released to his young keeper. 

 The former cannot believe his own eyes. " How 

 is this," sa\ s he to his conductor, " no more guards, 

 no more soldiers! Do you not wish to escape from 

 this place?" " Oh no," replies the latter, " no. 

 we are retained by ties much stronger than force 

 and turnkeys; even by love and gratitude !" 



"One of these new-comers, as yet, not accustom- 



ed to the kind of life which he cannot yet under- 

 stand or appreciate, docs he wish to escape by 

 flight ? Who would believe it? Then your farm- 

 ers, of themselves, go to seek him, and bring back 

 to the fold this stray Bheep, who soon becomes one 

 of the most faithful of the flock ! 



"A firebreak* out in the neighborhood; the doors 

 are thrown open, and the young farmers fly freely 

 to the assistance of the sufferers; you sec them, 

 these unfortunate children, rushing among the 

 burning timbers, and saving from the flames the 

 most valuable articles, which they are glad to re- 

 store to the victims of this disaster. Recalled by 

 the sound of the horn, all blackened, and often 

 wounded and ill,. bloody feet, (for they have left 

 their heavy shoes on the way in order to reach the 

 scene of disaster more speedily,) you see them re- 

 turn and take their place in the Farmery, under 

 the simple guidance of their adopted mother, hap- 

 py in the thought of a little good which they have 

 been able to do. 



"Some misfortune, some great disaster occurs. A 

 subscription, perhaps, is started to alleviate it. 

 Our young farmers have nothing; how can they 

 take part in it? They retrench their allowance 

 some centimes every day, and this little saving 

 combined, forms their contribution for the sufferer. 

 Thus is misfortune succored by the unfortunate. 



" Something is perhaps lost in the school, in the 

 wood, or on the road. It is then, who shall be the 

 first to find and restore it. for the mere suspicion 

 of theft has become for them a frightful torment, 

 and would fall equally upon all, since all are now 

 united. When the lost object is found, the lucky 

 finder conies back in triumph, saying as he restores 

 it, •Die.u in' a protege'." 



"Such in short, is the interesting picture presented 

 by this horticultural school. You can judge by 

 these facts, what devotion, what zeal, what self- 

 denial, what perseverance in this good and great 

 work have been required to bring about these great 

 and noble results. Our society takes pride in the 

 thought, that the art of horticulture has, in some 

 degree, contributed to the success. 



"How happy also should we be made by the con- 

 templation of this transformation of young children, 

 who, placed upon the commencement of their lives 

 on the highways of vice, and often crime, have 

 thus been reclaimed and recalled to virtue by the 

 counsels of this family, which has devoted itself 

 to creating this new life for them ! Honored be 

 their names! for they have richly merited the ho- 

 mage of all friends of humanity and of horticulture.'' 



Vol. iv. 



36 



