416 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. 



HORTICULTURE FOR CHILDREN. 

 BY MRS. A. L. ALDRICH, FLINT. 



In no age of the world have the needs, the capabilities, and the dignity of 

 childhood been ignored, but at no previous period liave the thought and intel- 

 ligence of the time been as carefully directed to the development and growth of 

 the vouthful mind as now. Educators all over the land are devising the best 

 means of utilizing the period of childhood as a foundation whereon shall stand 

 the noble man — tiie best and greatest the world has yet produced. It has been 

 proved a lallacy that the child must wait until he is " old enough " to learn. 

 One of the wisest men of our time says : " It is the supposition that the several 

 sciences constitute a succession of studies, some of which are adapted to child- 

 hood, others to the middle age of youth, while others can be mastered only by 

 the mature mind. Whereas, the truth is, all science begins with simple facts — 

 facts so simple that little children learn them, are conscious of them, begin to 

 apply them, and only cease this normal awakening when we set them at tasks, 

 with text book, formula, and theory, which leave no room nor time for natural 

 development. Education may begin in the domain of horticulture. "We know 

 how the child will reach for a flower; that may be its instinct for color, or its 

 imitativeness in regard to sense of smell, but almost as soon as it can walk 

 beside you, show it a maple tree, and a tlr, tell it the name of each, with some 

 diflerences, adapted to its capacity for observation, and you will wait for its 

 next remark with interest. It will undoubtedly be, 'There is another lir tree, 

 and there another maple,' showing you that your object lesson has not been 

 lost. Perceptive faculties thus aroused never again become dormant. The 

 next day the child imparts his information to his playmate, and is a hero. 

 Later, show him the difierent varieties of maple, point out to him the charac- 

 teristics of deciduous, and of evergreen trees, and continue this teaching, nutil 

 his interest is thoroughly awakened, and he knows the name and history of 

 every tree and shrub surrounding his home, and in his immediate vicinity. 

 Thus he will acquire the habit of observation, also the habit of conversation, 

 which is no less useful. Earlier than you would think of suggesting it, the 

 child will be transplanting trees, or sowing seeds, the natural desire of proprie- 

 torship asserting itself. Naturally, with this preliminary training, he takes to 

 delving in the soil — to gardening. And just here is where nature's nobleman, 

 the horticulturist, is so often lost to the world. He becomes discouraged, 

 because lit' does not succeed. He needs to be taught the results of experience, 

 to be encouraged and helped at every step, then will he go on loving the work 

 as he loved learning about the trees. Intelligent foresight and thought will 

 help him to select the right seed, whether flower or vegetable ; the right shrnb 

 or Iruit tree or currant or raspberry, and to choose the right soil Jor each. 

 Then introduce the study of chemistry and of physiology; show him their 

 application to plant life, teach him how the plants select and assimilate their 

 lood, the tffcct of stirring the soil, the uses of sunlight and shade, and you will 



