94 THE NA TURE-S1 UD Y REYIE W [6:4-Apr., 1910 



Tools, seeds, etc., are paid for by the school board. One 

 set of tools (two dozen rakes and two dozen hoes) serve for all 

 the grades, only one grade working at a time. A class goes to 

 the garden accompanied by the grade teacher and generally 

 the supervisor. Vegetables are planted in the individual gar- 

 dens and flowers in the borders. Vegetables that will mature 

 by the middle of June have been selected and in each plot at 

 least one plant from small and one from large seeds are used 

 to teach different depths of planting. There is little trouble in 

 regard to discipline so long as the pupils are kept busy. We 

 find it very helpful to the teachers who have a few large trouble- 

 some boys in a grade, to send them to the garden when they 

 are restless, to water the plants and clean up the walks. 



In the country schools where one teacher has four or five 

 grades to teach, school gardens have not been attempted, but 

 we have tried to encourage home gardening. The children 

 are told how to lay off and work their gardens, and penny 

 packets of seed are sold to them. A flower festival has been 

 planned for the first of June at which the country children will 

 exhibit the best products from their gardens. 



As far as possible indoor nature-study work is correlated 

 with language and geography. The seventh grade of Phoebus 

 School has regular instruction in elementary agriculture. The 

 class is required to make as many simple experiments as possi- 

 ble besides text-book work. Each member keeps a record of 

 all experiments made. As far as possible simple apparatus is 

 used. 



Jt is believed that the effect of interesting pupils in nature- 

 study will make the matter of discipline a less formidable task 

 than it has hitherto been in our crowded school rooms. 



The colored plates which, through the generositv of Air. 

 William Dutcher, are to appear in the Nature-Study Review, 

 are unavoidably delayed until the May number. The prepara- 

 tion and printing of color plates is necessarily a slow process. 

 We have seen a preliminary proof of these beautiful pictures — 

 of the passenger pigeon and the mourning dove — and can as- 

 sure our readers of their unusual merit. 



We trust that a large number of bird lovers will avail 

 themselves of the opportunity, afforded by our May issue, to 

 obtain these attractive bird pictures. 



