DOUGAXJ 



GARDEN LESSONS IN . 1 CITY SCHOOL 275 



crops, such as radishes, turnips, beets, tomatoes and corn. The 

 soil has been lumpy, ill-drained and subject to erosion from the 

 paved playground above, and we have had some of the "bad 

 luck" of the poor farmer on a poor farm. The children have, 

 however, seen the erosion prevented for the future and are learn- 

 ing how to drain and improve the soil. The leaves and clippings 

 from the lawn are piled to rot and make humus which will next 

 spring be incorporated with the soil. On one patch we planted 

 corn. This we cut October ist, and now the ground is green 

 with rye to be turned under next spring. A typical exercise is 

 shown in the accompanying photograph. First-grade children 

 are picking string beans under the teacher's direction, while those 

 standing up are collecting the pickings in standard half-bushel 

 measures. The beans are then taken to the schoolroom where 

 the quart, peck, half-bushel and bushel are taught in regular 

 course, and each child measures out and takes home a quart for 

 himself. The next day, problems involving these measures, the 

 market price of beans and the numbers taught in the current 

 work of the class are given by the teacher. Throughout the 

 school we have made a study of weeds with reference to the 

 good or harm they do and the best methods of eradication. We 

 are now making collections for comparison with the farm and 

 garden seeds which they resemble. Besides, we make frequent 

 excursions to the Botanical Garden to observe there many things 

 impracticable for us to grow. 



Of gardening in individual plots, or of growing the more 

 difficult vegetables, we have as yet done but little. Being a part 

 of a big city system, we must be governed by the course of study 

 which prescribes but one period per week for nature-study in all 

 its branches. We have, therefore, done much of our work out of 

 school hours, and shall continue the plan. As for results, we 

 have improved the grounds and taught the children something of 

 a sense of proprietorship in them. The English language, too, 

 is coming in for increased respect. For any appreciable effect on 

 the homes, we shall need more than one year. For ourselves, we 

 have learned that garden work needs to be graded with reference 

 to the mental as well as the physical capacity of the child. Pro- 

 vided with the small hoes, rakes and shovels such as we use, the 

 children of the primary grades can easily do all the work of 

 growing beets, turnips, radishes, lettuce, string beans. For cer- 

 tain crops like potatoes, tomatoes, cabbages, celery, cucumbers, 

 and all crops subject to disease or insect pest or requiring special 



