Patterson] CHILDREN'S HOME GARDENS 39 



own. 2. He must be willing to have his garden visited by a 

 garden visitor. 



The plan was proposed to the children early in March with the 

 result that two hundred and sixty-four became members of the 

 club. A portion of the nature-study period was taken in the 

 school for the purpose of discussing the home gardens; how to 

 prepare the seed bed; what to plant, how and when to plant. 

 A list of seeds that were likely to give good results were submitted 

 to the children. However, their choice was not limited to these. 

 Each child had the privilege of planting either a vegetable garden, 

 a flower garden, or both. The children purchased their own seeds. 

 Those below the seventh grade ordered theirs through the Nature- 

 Study Department of the School. The upper grades sent for seed 

 catalogues and ordered their own seeds. 



The chief visitors of the gardens were students who were taking 

 the Home and School Garden course in the normal school. This 

 course includes as a part of its work the observing and directing 

 the children in the school garden, and visiting the home gardens. 

 The other visitors were members of the garden committee of the 

 League. 



A card record of each garden was kept by the visitor. This 

 showed the name of the owner of the garden, the plants grown, 

 the care and arrangement, and the condition at the time of the 

 visits. Below are shown data from two of the cards. The first 

 belongs to a seventh grade bov, the second to fourth grade. 



Date of 

 Plants Visits Arrangement — Condition 



Radishes. Onions. May 13. This garden occupies a space 

 Wax and lima beans. equal to a small city lot. The ar- 



Cypress, Poppies. rangement of the flowers and vege- 



Mignonette, Candy- tables is excellent. The flowers 



tuft, Marigold. are placed according to height. 



The vegetables are in plots behind 



the flowers. 



July 1. The garden is in excellent condi- 



tion. It is well cultivated and 

 tree from weeds. The boy expects 

 to defray part of his school expen- 

 ses from the sale of his beans. 



