112 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



AT THE HORTICULTURAL SCHOOL. 



Miss Louise Klein-Miller, who was one of the efficient instruc- 

 tors at the Winthrop Horticultural School in a communcation 

 in "The School Journal" said its object was "to interest the 

 young in the study and enjoyment of plants, flowers and fruits, 

 and both the boys and girls, who will soon take the places of the 

 fruit growers of today, some practical affairs of fruit and flower 

 growing." The different schools were visited by the instructors 

 in the morning, and the general sessions were held in the after- 

 noon and stereoptican lectures in the evening. Suggestions 

 were made by the instructors for improving the school grounds. 

 Miss Miller especially urged the importance of using the beauti- 

 ful native shrubs, which can be secured without money and 

 without price from pastures, swamps, roadsides and woods, 

 and showed combinations of color and texture of flowers and 

 leaves which produce good results in landscape gardening. A 

 lesson in propagation by cuttings was given using a geranium 

 plant for the illustration. Seeds, bulbs, perennials and shrubs 

 were distributed to the children. Miss Miller's illustrated 

 lecture in village improvement was much enjoyed by a large 

 audience. The principal of the high school told Miss Miller 

 before leaving, ''No one can estimate the value and influence of 

 the work that has been done here." All the instructors did 

 excellent work and a few weeks later a village improvement 

 society was organized, and its members find many opportunities 

 for the improvement of the town. 



Perhaps the Pomological Society may have been a silent 

 factor later in the introduction of a speaker upon nature studies 

 at the State Teachers' Association. The reports of the enthu- 

 siastic reception given to this speaker indicate that our teachers 

 will no longer hesitate to do more of instruction along this line 

 than in the past. Let us have more in the future. 



Save along general lines it has not been regarded as any part 

 of our work to teach nature study, at the same time that which 

 relates to the growing of the plant or tree touches the vital part 



