82 



THE GUIDE TO NATURE. 



an absolute essential for germination. 

 Allow the seeds to sprout in the ordinary 

 old-fashioned method on moist cotton, 

 blotting paper, etc., or in soil, and apply 

 the solution only to feed them as soon 

 as the young plants tell you by starting 

 their roots that they are readv for food. 

 They may also be used to good advan- 

 tage on potted plants. 



For eight years I have experimented 

 extensively with this solution by grow- 



ROOTS OF BEANS. 

 Grown between two panes of glass, so as to 

 show clearly all details. No soil. 



ing plants in a great variety of situa- 

 tions. This has not been work, it has 

 been play, most enjoyable hours snatched 

 from the pressure of many duties. I 

 have come to love plants, not alone from 

 the scientific or the aesthetic standpoint, 

 but as pets. My desire has been to 

 create and increase an interest and love 

 for the growth of our common plants, in 

 their entirety, as living things. It is 

 not enough to know the flowers, not even 

 enough to know the plants, that is at any 

 one stage of their existence, in the sense 

 of knowing either the name or structure. 



The message coming to us from the 

 Great Nature-Study Teacher, regarding 

 one species of plants, was intended I 

 think to apply to all. He said "consider 

 the lilies of the field hozv they grow." 



[How to obtain the tablets. — A box 

 containing 30 tablets, with full directions 

 for use, will be mailed for ten cents — 

 a very small amount which is just suffi- 

 cient to pay for the tablets, printing, 

 packing and postage. I have no finan- 

 cial, only an educational interest in the 

 sale. This low price is possible only be- 

 cause thousands of boxes are prepared at 

 a time by a manufacturing chemist. Ad- 

 dress Edward F. Bigelow, Stamford, 

 Ct] 



INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S SCHOOL 

 FARM LEAGUE. 



BY MRS. HOWARD VAN SINDEREN, NO. I, 

 WEST 8 1 ST ST., NEW YORK CITY. 



In the spring of 1907 the friends of 

 the Children's School Farm movement 

 formed the International Children's 

 School Farm League, to unify the inter- 

 ests of this movement in the United 

 States and other countries. 



It is the purpose of the organization 

 to furnish practical information, oppor- 

 tunity for mutual help and to urge the 

 introduction of Children's Gardens into 

 school and park systems, as well as un- 

 der private control. 



The League is prepared to issue con- 

 cise information as to how to start and 

 conduct the work, to whom to apply 

 in each section for proper advice and 

 influence, to establish an exchange of 

 photographs and lantern slides and pro- 

 vide the services of a lecturer and practi- 

 cal adviser. 



Under the auspices of this League, 

 Children's Gardens can be placed on un- 

 improved property and introduced in 

 connection with institutions for children 

 and convalescents. The boys and men 

 in the tuberculosis hospitals frequently 

 say : "( )h ! if we only had something to fill 

 in the lon°" hours." Wherever this work 

 has been introduced in prisons it has 

 Droved most advantageous. For fee- 

 ble-minded and backward children the 

 garden is a most successful means 

 of education. The gardens have proved 

 a great boon to crippled children whose 



