236 NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [6:8-Nov„ 1916 



It was a charming room in the Institute of Technology where 

 this luncheon was held. A long low room with the walls decor- 

 ated, partly with flowers and fruits and partly with the picture 

 exhibits of garden work. Providence and Newport, R. I. ; 

 Springfield, North Adams and Groton, Massachusetts ; and The 

 School Garden Association of New York were the picture 

 exhibitors. 



There were long tables used as serving tables and on these 

 were the individual nosegays of bachelor's buttons sent by the 

 Wellesley Farms garden. Then a large round table groaned with 

 the exhibit of vegetables, and fruits both raw and canned. An- 

 other table contained preserves and jellies made by children 

 from their own products. Another interesting feature was an 

 exhibit of products, pictures and a garden dairy from a lad in 

 Groton, Massachusetts. Mrs. Richards presided over the lunch- 

 eon in such a way that one felt he was in a charming old New- 

 England home with an equally charming hostess. 



If other meetings had not followed, we all would have 

 lingered the entire afternoon talking of the work and of its 

 future. Mr. Hays spoke of the sympathy and interest of the 

 department of agriculture ; Mr. Kirk told of his work in Kansas ; 

 Mr. Kilpatrick explained the New York Garden movement of 

 which he is the head, and so it went on. We all wonder what 

 is to come next. Is this great interest in garden work to merely 

 dissipate itself in show and flourish or are we going on to better, 

 steadier work? It would seem as if the Department of Agricul- 

 ture was the one to outline, to plan, to put into motion more and 

 more of this work. This department is surely the pace setter, the 

 inspiration, the court of appeal in agricultural affairs. It would 

 seem to be the official school garden foundation head. It has 

 done much already in distribution of seed and in printing of 

 helpful matter. Are we not ready to take our pace from such a 

 national authority? Personal aggrandizement falls in the back 

 ground before a movement for the general uplift of the children 

 of our land. 



