Vol. Vir. N. 



IC4. 



THK AGRKJUr.TirUAL XKWS. 



247 



SCHOOL GARDENS IN ENGLAND. 



Tlie cjiiestiiiii nl f>c!io,4 guixlfius, ;ir.d the melhuds 

 of working them soih.it they shall be of the grefitest 

 v;iliie f(ji' the pni'ijoses nf instnictiun, is diseus.'ied in 

 H thoughtful article that a[)j)e.-ued in the GarJrnerx' 

 Clrroit icic (ifjiitif^ (i l;isr. Id is evident I. hat in suiiif 

 par's i.f England, ;is in certain of the West Indian 

 Jj-.land-;, iIm; full d-M-lnjiment of siIdu] g.-irdi^n woi i; is 

 iiindei-ed \>y the difKeiilty of obtiiining sntfieiLiit and 

 suitable l.ind. 



In the following extracts fnim tjie above-mention- 

 ed article the ndv.-mtages of the system of woiiang in 

 uhicll each pafiil cultivates a se|iarate plot are 

 compared with tho.>e resulting from the cultivation in 

 common by the |jupils of a larger aroa on which it is 

 possible to carry out more extensive cidtural opera- 

 tions : — 



liroadly speaking, there are two .systems of school garden 

 •work in general use in Jiliiglaud, and they si)!-ang from the 

 opinions of two clexer and thoroughly [iraetical gardeners, 

 Mr. John Wright, V..M.H., who has had charge of the work in 

 Surrey from its inception, and the late Mr. liobert Cock, in 

 .Statford.^hire, these two counties having Keen i)ioneers of 

 gardening as applied to teaching in elementary day schi>f>ls. 

 iMu'di work is now being done in all the different counties, 

 but it is largely based ujion the experience that vras gained 

 at tlic outset in Surrey and Staftbrdshire. 



In Surrey, reliance is j)laced ui)on the individual plot 

 system in which each scholar is assigned a piece of ground vary- 

 ing in extent from half a rod to a rpd, and very occasionally 

 slightly more ; in Statfordshire the communal plot is adojited, 

 on which all the puiiils waak together. The former system 

 may fairly lie expected to bring forth better individual 

 results, for each boy proves his own merit by the results 

 which he achieves. In the common plot the individuality 

 of the pupil is merged into the whole, and it is ditficult, if 

 not inipossililc, to .separate the keen and clever workers from 

 the idlers, of whom tlirrr are specimens in evny school ; 

 the large [ilot, however, has the advantage of allowing of 

 superior instruction being given as to how an allotment or 

 a cottage garden would be actually cropjied and managed, 

 with a view to the production of the utmost amount of vege- 

 tables from the area at command, riotations are )iot now 

 regarded as of the same imjjortance as they were some years 

 ago, Ijut it is desirable that pupils should be given a knowl- 

 edge of the chief rotation.s, and the advantages consei|Uent 

 upon their use, as in certain circumstances their adoption is 

 imperative, and it is quite evident that these can never be as 

 "vvell and clearly shown on an area of half a rod or a rod as they 

 can on "20 or 30 rods. The lialance might ajipear to be in 

 favo'.n- of the large plot, but something nmst be debited 

 against it on the .score of loss of individuality, coitpled with 

 the fact that the spirit of emulation or comiietition hardly 

 enters into the matter at all. This m a tnatfer deserving of 

 consideration, as a boy will usually strive much more strcnu- 

 ou.-by and persistently when he .sees that his neighbour 

 is getting ahead of him in regard to the appearance of his 

 ground and his plants. 



The question arises as to whether it would not be 

 possible to iulopt a middle cour.se between these two extremes 

 and so trf combine the liest [mints of lioth. This mit^ht mean 

 that each pupil should lie provided with a small plot— half 

 a rod would amply sntKcc in this case, though as a general 

 rule it is rather too small — and that in addition there would 

 have to be one large plot, .say of 1 H rods, on which the class 



would work in common. If it were practicable, this system 

 might jierhaps be expected to produce the most satisfactory 

 results, for the individuality of the scholars would be retained 

 in its entirety, while the connnunal working would be 

 advantaj;eous in convev'ing instruction as to the actual 

 cultivation of a garden. The larger plot would be cropped 

 just as if it Avere in the hands of an allotmejit holder, anil 

 close account would be kept of the approximate value of the 

 vegetables grown to set against the cost fif production in 

 manure, seed.s, tools, etc. 



The chief objection to the universal adoption of the 

 combined system lies in the fact that it would involve the 

 utilization of more land. This is indeed a serious point, and 

 one which, in many cases mii;ht prove insurmountal'le, for 

 it is often difficult to find sutheient s[iace to put down 

 1() plots of each h rod in acre. 



PRIZE-HOLDINGS COMPETITION AT 

 GRENADA. 



Keports on the restdts of the prize-holdings scheme 

 in the parishes of St. John and St. David. Grenada, 

 during the past year, liave been ix-ceived, and testify to 

 the beneficial intiitence of those competitions, as shown 

 in improved cultivation of the holdings of those peas- 

 ants wdio look part. It will be i-emembered that in 

 these competitions prizes aie awaided in three classes 

 to small cacao cultivators. Holdings eligible for the 

 first class must consist of not more than .5 .-ictx's .and not 

 less than 3 acres of cacao: for the second class, not over 

 8 acres and not, less th.ni 2 acres, while holdnigs 

 included in the thir<l class must not lie <iver 2 acres in 

 extent. 



In the parish of St. JcJni, for the year 1907, there were 

 nine entries in Class I; fourteen in Class If, and thirty -.seven 

 in Class III. T'hree prizes were awarded to cultivators in 

 ('lass I. and si.x prizes were allotted in each of the two remain- 

 ing classes. 



In St. David's parish the ju'ize-holdings scheme was 

 started for the first time in 1907, but notwithstanding this, 

 there were six entries in Class I, six in Class II, and fourteen 

 in Class III. Three prizes were awarded in Class I, four in 

 Class II, and seven in Class III. In both parishes the competi- 

 tion among those taking [lart was very keen, as evidenced by 

 the closely approximating tot^ds of marks gained by the 

 .several prize-winners. The maxinuun number of marks that 

 cnuld be gained by any cultivator was forty-five, and it is 

 .satisfactory to note that in St. John's pari.sh one-half the 

 competitors, and in St. David's two-thirds obtained a total of 

 forty marks and over. 



In their reports, the judges expressed strongly their opin- 

 ion as to the excellent results brought about among the .small 

 cultivators of the two parishes, liy the prize-holdings scheme, 

 and recommended that every effort shouhl be made to continue 

 its working for five con.seeutive years. 



The following note occurs in the rejjort on the competi- 

 tion in St. John's parish ; ' The work done in these holdings 

 has been excellent, and we consider that the prize-holdings 

 scheme is encouragii;g not only better tillage, but also 

 a f^reater amount of intelligent agricultural work among the 

 small proprietors in the parish generally. In this year's 

 competition — the second in the ])arish— the siheme has proved 

 a much greater success than in 1906, both in the increased 

 number of competitors, and in the improved (piality of work 

 done.' 



