208 



NATURE STUDY REVIEW 



[9:7— Oct., 1913 



the great money saving effected by owning a garden. With market 

 prices as a basis, each child subtracts from the value of the mature 

 vegetables grown in his plot, the cost of seeds and, since the land is 

 rent-free regards the difference as the value of his efforts. Of 

 coiirse seeds are free for use in school gardens but the estimate is 

 made for the purpose of so awakening and interesting children as 

 to stimulate them to become home gardeners, in which case the cost 

 of seeds is an expense item. This spring the second grade in one 

 day harvested 395 radishes; third grade, 217; fourth grade, 196; 



Second Grade Harvesting Radishes 



seventh and eighth together, 227. The total of over a thousand 

 radishes were worth about four dollars and in no grade was one-half 

 the crop brought in. 



As otir school plots are not large, there is much rivalry among 

 pupils to obtain best results from intensive cultivation. Exactness 

 and accuracy are details of the discipline side of garden benefits 

 that are emphasized. 



In grades seven and eight* the utilitarian and disciplinary aims 

 are not lost but give precedence to some elementary study of plant 

 processes and to slightly technical training in agriculture and 

 botany. Otherwise stated, the aim here is to know scientifically 



*Pupils in grades seven and eight registered for gardening were so few as 

 to make it wise to combine both grades into one class. 



