On the Treatment of Decayed Potatoes, ^ c. 563 
period of the year, as in the case of harvesting the cereal crops, 
and leaves the labourers unemployed in the intervals. This, in 
tiie case of the Irish peasants, whose skill and industry is applied 
to the cultivation of one root, has the effect of reducing the value 
of both. There is not sufficient use for the intellect in its direc- 
tion to practical and industrial skill, and there is no motive for 
acquiring habits of steady labour. The more extensively that we 
cultivate a variety of vegetables — the more that the various capa- 
bilities of our soils are developed in their proper direction — the 
more will labour be steadied and equalized, our markets be freed 
from those shocks attending the casualties of a single crop, and 
our population relieved from the dread consequences of famine. 
\Vhy is it that in England we do not win those favours from nature 
in the variety of produce that afford such grateful food to other 
countries ? Lentils contain the greatest amount of nutrition of any 
of the leguminous plant; they form one of the staple articles of 
the food of the labouring classes in other lands, and yet they are 
scarcely known in this. Rye is well suited to poor lands ; it forms 
a nutritious bread, universally used in Germany and Hungary, 
better far than potatoes ; and if it has not met the success in this 
country which it deserves, depend upon it the miller and baker 
are more to be blamed for the failure than bountiful nature. If 
from their bulky nature tubers are preferred by the poor, why is 
the Jerusalem artichoke forgotten, which of all plants yields the 
greatest return for the least amount of manure and labour. Frost 
does not injure the tubers of this plant; they may be left in the 
ground all winter, and just taken out as they are to be used. If a 
little piece of ground be devoted to them, they are so grateful for 
this privilege that year after year they will spring up without 
planting ; because, however diligently we try to remove them, 
enough remains in the ground for next year's crop. This makes 
them inconvenient for rotation, but is an advantage in the cottage 
allotment. In fact the Jerusalem artichoke is a most grateful 
plant, and will fully recompense us for any habitation, provided 
we do not give it a wet bed to lie in. We have also the parsnep, 
which formerly was cultivated to a greater extent in Ireland than 
it is now. However, all these bulky plants should never super- 
sede the cultivation of the cereals and the leguminous crops. 
I am firmly convinced that the intelligent portion of this com- 
munity have now the opportunity of converting the apparent evil 
of a failure into a great real and national blessing. They have 
the power to introduce the cultivation of more economical and 
useful crops, and, in doing so, to effect the social and moral im- 
provement of the people. Should a scarcity unhappily arise, 
they have in their power to improve greatly our miserable cottage 
cookery by introducing a greater variety of viands, more palatable, 
