Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1859-11-04
Correspondenfe.
WEsTrIELD, Mass. Oct. 18th, 1859.

! W EsTFIELD, Mass. Oct. 10th, 1907.
Mr.. EDITOR The Massachusetts, Boart
of Education is of the opinion that the ele
ments of botany and chemistry ought to b'
taught in our common schools. particularly
where great part of the pupils belong t.
an agricultural population. The members o.
the Board after having duly considered it,
Importance have engaged the services of Prof
Russell Of Salem, practical botanist, 10 de
liver course of four lectures to each of the
Normal Schools, in simple, plain manner
30 as to interest the teacher in the study
of the vegetable world, and thereby indirect.
ly to interest the pupil also.
1t is my present purpose to give you The
benefit of my cursory notes upon his lectures,
hoping that they may awaken an interest in
some Of your numerous readers, especially
agrcultursts and teachers.
Prof R. commenced by stating the object
of the four lectures. Then he says, 1--WE are
placed in world Of consummate beauty. II
we look around us by day or night, we see
an infinite variety of objects suitable for
study The tiniest atom may create world
of thought, and what can not be said when
we think of the beautiful meadow, the for
est, the mountain, the glade, the world 7
We must look carefully around US, and study
and reflect upon what our eyes behold. The
Creator has endowed us with the most pow
erful senses for this purpose. The !Anatomst
can show the whole structure Of the human
frame, that it is q machine Of the highest
perfection, and that knowledge Of every
pa, ticle of it is not to be despised. Just SO
with the vegetable world Every spot as
big as my finger. would furnish thought
enough for volumes. The subject of Botany,
hence, is of wide Importance. We can on
every hand see our dependence upon the veg
etable kingdom. Cast your eyes about this
room. Six or more kinds Of wood are repre-
sented. Your books are mostly vegetable
The glue is vegetable matter. The ink com
posed of lamp-hlack oil &c, is also vegetable.
Give me good microscope and III tell you
not only that the leaves are botanical speci
mems, but what plants they are. Our ap-
parel and our food, too, comes from the veg
etable kingdom. Look too, at one Of our
noblest structures, the Ship. See to what
she is most indebted. Her keel, ribs .planks,
spars, sails, painting and engraving will in
form you.
Flowers may be found at any time.
Yes, in your Winters walks. l walk
ed into your yard, and saw on an old
piece Of bark that picked up, rare and
beautiful plant On the top of hedge l
found dead Elm leaf, upon which were sev
eral specs, but the microscope says they
were three or four distinct species of plants,
and in them is as much beauty as in the lar
gest trees. So you see we do not have to
wait for weather or season.
Most, or all of you will become teachers
soon. and large proportion will probably
teach in villages and not in cities. Hence a
good opportunity will be afforded to give in
struction upon Botany. Something can be
taught of the world in which we live. IF
you should devote your whole life to Botany,
you would never become adopts, nor in
Chemistry or any other branch Of science,
nor even in the study Of little bugs. A Ay,
even, would defy your life study. The
Board Of Education do not expect my lecture
to make you adopts, but think that the least
knowledge which shall make you and your
pupils love our world better, shall satisfy
them.
Botany hasa practical relation to Agri-
culture. The savage is as much farmer rs
the President Of the Agricultural Society,
according to his means. he first seeds ever
planted were Indian corn, pumpkins and
Now contrast them with New England
farmer, and see the improvement that has
been made, and Botany and Chemistry shall
make still greater ones. At Agricultural
Fairs, premiums are given for the biggest
pampkin, the mightiest melon. the cleveres,
cucumber &c. This is right ,and it is urong.
Righ. as Ear as it encourages the producer,
and results in good produce, and wrong
wherein it is nut a deceptive process. The
farm does not yield these huge things, but
the gardn. They come from gardeners not
farmers. from Horticulture not Agriculture.
A man will do his best on little patch, but
neglect his field Horticulture is the perfec-
ton Of Agriculture. A gardener is a minia-
ture farmer. may get as much from my
garden as you from your farm, because |
know the nature of the soil, the construction
and requirements ofthe plant which wish
to cultivate &c.
The science of Botany teaches how to be-
come Horticulturists, how to bring much
out of little. will here recommend work
entitled Lindley's Horticulture, an extremely
interesting one. 1t tells how to graft Most
any one can graft, but the best grafters can
not make it grow. The Botanist under
stands this. Regard must be had to similar
structure Of both graft and tree. The cells
and pulp must be Of both such as can unite
the one with the other--here is q principle
Of vegetable physiology.
Horticulture is more scientific than Horti-
culture. 1t is the third degree.