MICHIGAN ACADEMY OP SCIENCE. 157 



took to extend by asking each pupil to bring one or two plants to the school. By buying 

 three or four dozen pots, the number of specimens was considerably increased by making 

 cuttings from the other plants at noon hour, or recess periods, but particularly after school 

 closed in the afternoon. The main reasons for commencing this, I suppose, was the sugges- 

 tion received from the fact that a few plants had, in previous years, decorated the window 

 ledges. Another reason, probably, was the desire to improve upon my predecesor, and to 

 furnish the means by which my store of surplus physical energy might be applied. 



These plants were placed m the room on the window ledge — this being quite wide be- 

 cause the wall was of stone and very thick. Some we placed in a circular bed outside in 

 the front of the biiilding. They were placed there from the pots in siaring. In summer 

 vacation it was possible to get a neighbor, sometimes past school years, to attend to the 

 plants. This work was gratuitous, but the results were alwa3^s excellent. In winter 

 the plants were taken to the house of a neighbor — the same party each year — and the 

 best sepcimens were taken care of during the winter. Some were taken by individuals, 

 here and there, to their homes, but I found that when individuals brought, in all, about 

 twenty-five plants, not five of these would be taken home in the fall. Consequently, our 

 supply would increase from year to year, both in jDots and in specimens. I found it always 

 easy to borrow a horse and wagon to take the plants from the school in the fall, and simi- 

 larly to the school in the spring. 



The labor in taking care of the specimens, at the building, and of the transportation of 

 them to and fro, fell upon the teacher quite largely. Watering was often done by the 

 pupils, but after the novelty of the thing wore off, the pupils looked upon the matter as a 

 bore. They would do it if asked, but only in the same spirit as they would carry in wood 

 or any other work which might be required of them. 



The main difficulties in connection with the matter w'ere as follows: It was impossible 

 to keep plants over winter in the building owing to the fact that the temperature over 

 nights and during days when there was no session, would often fall very low and the 

 plants would freeze. The work had to be done by the teacher, unless pupils were ordered 

 to do it. 



The re-potting under conditions existing was very difficult, both as to a convenient 

 place and to a supply of good earth. The pupils were too yoimg to appreciate the work 

 and many of them had too much manual lalior to occupy their spare time at home. Any- 

 thing in the nature of work became, after a time, a bore, and I do not blame them. Lastly, 

 the summer vacation made an enormous gap in the work. This gap, as you see, together 

 with the winter season, occupied a large portion of the year. 



The advantages to be gained from having such planting are these : It makes the school 

 home-like and cheerful, and it develops a certain amount of refinement in the pupils di- 

 rectly and indirectly. It furnishes illustrative material for many of the common branches 

 of study in the school, e. g., literature, composition, geography and elementary lessons in 

 natural science; and lastly, it furnishes healthy exercise and interest for the teacher. 



Now, the inside plants suggested outside planting; and this developed what might be 

 indicated in three divisions: (1) the summering of winter plants, (2) tree-planting, (3) 

 regular outside gardening in a small scale. The plans for the first of these was to place 

 out in the front circular flower-bed certain of the plants which had been wintered inside 

 in flower pots and plant them carefully, and in order, as best we might. Pupils were 

 able to help in this work, to some extent, because everything was clear and definite before 

 their eyes, and thej^ were able to see the result of their work at once, without waiting till 

 plants would develop from seeds. 



The plans for tree-planting were comparatively simple. One spring day — a regular 

 school day — was selected for the purpose of choosing, digging out (plenty of good trees 

 could be had in the woods), and hauling to the school premises a number of suitable trees. 

 Few of the pupils were able to help very materially in this part of the work. It is true 

 that they could supply axes, spades and the like, and in this way take some part in the 

 work, but the brunt of all the heavy labor fell upon the teacher. A\'hile the cligging was 

 going on, some of the larger boys were busy making holes for the trees in the school yard. 

 The trees "are then — in the afternoon — planted in holes made in the forenoon by those 

 selected to do this work. After planting, these trees were each given to a certain pupil 

 to care for, and water, and have a sort of general supervision over, with a view to the wel- 

 fare of the tree. We had no protecting frames for the trees, so the pupil had something 

 to do to keep children from shaking and otherwise injuring them. 



This day was called "Arbor Day," and it was the only day, or, I may say, the only 

 time, of the school hours which could be taken for the work. The trees were planted in- 

 side the fence and aljout three feet from it. Most of these trees lived, and they are now a 

 monument to the blistered hands and tired backs of those who engaged in the work. 



I found, however, that these trees seriously interfered with the playground, as a play- 

 ground, for it cut off a good slice on the edges of a large portion of the ground, which was 



