AN EMBRYO WILD FLOWER GARDEN 



BY MERCY A. PEARSON 

 State Model School, Trenton, N. J. 



Last September "a wild flower garden" was found among 

 the requirements in nature work for the fourth Primary grade. 

 Owing to circumstances over which the teacher had no control, 

 the plot for the garden was not available till too late to utilize 

 for the autumn work. As early this spring as it was safe to be on 

 the ground the class was taken to the garden to select the best 

 site for wild flowers. Recalling places where they had found 

 them, a shady corner, protected from the sun on the south by a 

 large barn, and on the east by a high board fence, was chosen. 



To hide the fence and make the surroundings more woods}'', 

 seeds of the wild cucumber were planted. The boys spaded 

 the ground while the girls placed the seeds. One pupil insisted 

 that the point of the seeds be placed upward and the plant 

 would come up sooner. That she might see her error seeds 

 were placed in various positions between glass and blotting 

 paper, the latter kept moist that the seeds might sprout. Thus 

 the truth was reached. 



A trip to the woods was next in order to procure stock. Be- 

 fore starting, the unnecessary uprooting of plants was empha- 

 sized. The destructiveness for which Americans are proverbial 

 was commented on. A child exclaimed, "Oh yes, that is why 

 Plymouth Rock had to be enclosed and guarded. If it hadn't 

 been there wouldn't be any of it left." 



The radius of the extinction of wild flowers increases about 

 cities each year. Not a plot of ground is set apart for a public 

 park but in a short time all the wild flowers disappear. Tren- 

 tonians justly proud of Cadwalader Park can remember when 

 innumerable jack-in-the-pulpits preached to large congregations 

 there. But the young iconoclasts have torn down the pulpits 

 and driven out the ministers till there is not one left to lift a 

 warning finger to those who would desecrate the Holy Day by 

 base ball. It is hoped that the planting and caring for wild 



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