306 THE PHILADELPHIA FLORIST. [No^lO 



^ stand better than I do the position in which the intelligent and well-C^J 

 conducted teacher stands in the estimation of the parents of the P 

 children committed to his care, as I was a teacher myself. Therefore, 

 I would say, that the teacher can exercise a very important influence 

 over the inhabitants of the neighbourhood in which he is placed, both 

 by affording them good advice, and by setting them a proper example. 

 And should he be able, by his labours in this way, to improve their 

 social condition, and with it their domestic comforts, he will enjoy, 

 at least, the true gratification, not only of having discharged his duties 

 faithfully to the commissioners, who have provided him with a suit- 

 able agricultural education, but also of having been the means of 

 alleviating the misery and wretchedness of his fellow-countrymen. — 

 It may be the case that some of you may yet be employed in the 

 capacity of ordinary agricultural teachers; others of you may aspire 

 to a higher grade, and receive a more practical training; others of 

 you, again, though still literary teachers, may find it advantageous to 

 rent a few acres of land for the benefit of your respective families; 

 and still further, the time may not be far distant when the landed 

 proprietors will find it their interest to attach a few acres of land to 

 the schools scattered over their estates, as example farms; in any of 

 which cases the course of instruction in agricultural matters, which 

 you are about to receive, will prove highly serviceable, and the re- 

 ward for your labour will be of a more substantial character than that 

 before referred to; it will consist, at least in part, of the produce of 

 your little farms, which will render you less dependent upon others 

 for the means of subsistence, and consequently, make you more happy 

 and contented. 



CUTKILL ON THE POTATO. 



The Potato is a native of the sea-side ; it is found on the coasts of 

 Peru and Mexico, New Zealand, &c. &c. When ripe it is like a ball 

 of flour, rich in starch, although small in size. For a long time after 

 it was introduced into this country it was left in the ground summer 

 and winter, not being taken up unless wanted. In time we found 

 that we could eat more of this tuber; we also found that they were 

 liked by pigs and cattle; we began to use them more freely. We 

 also discovered the plan of taking them up out of the ground when 

 ripe, and putting them carefully away in rooms or lofts; in time our 

 crops increased so that we could not find room in-doors for them, and 

 we at last pitted them out of doors ; this may not be more than 70 

 years ago. This plan of wintering the Potato was the commence- 

 ment of its ruin j the increase of crops by manures was so abundant J 

 ^ that no means was left untried that might still increase them; but <p 

 (^strange to say, we still left them to grow in large heaps, covered Gj 



3*29^ _ _! _-^Qsi 



