582 REPORT OF OFFICE OK EXl'KRIMENT STATIONS. 



Ill iMichijiiiii s(lu)(»l j^aidciis were stinted this s|niM<i' at tli(^ Second 

 AvcMiuo Sthool ill (Jriiiul liapids. a ^uihUmi lor cacli room. 



In Minnosota, Miniu'a})olis had oardcns at the lloraoo Mann School 

 (PI. XXX VJ I, fij(. 1) and one or two otliers last year, and started work 

 at ten schools this sprinjif. Duliith has school jiardens at the Webster 

 School. ^Vho (U'partment of a»;'ricultnre at the University of Minnesota 

 is doing all that it can lor the I'atioiial devclopinent of school-oai'den 

 work and other features of elementary aj'iiculture in the schools of 

 the State. Ainono- other thinj^s it is conducting' expei'imental school 

 j>ardens and preparin*;- ])]ans for rural school iiai(hMis (IM. XXXVII, 

 Hg. 2). 



Omaha is the onl}' city in Nel)raska reportino- school-t*'arden work. 

 For two 3'ears all of the pu})ils in the lower j^rades have received 

 instruction in g-rowing plants either in boxes or out of doors, and a 

 number of the schools in the city have engaged (juite largel}- in 

 garden work. Reports indicate that the work has been popular and 

 successful. 



In Missouri school gardens are n^ported at Carthage, Old Orchard, 

 and St. Louis. The work at Old Orchard was started this year, and 

 y that at Carthage several years ago ])y W. ,]. Stev(>ns, who has since 

 been called to one of the large schools in St. Louis and has inaugurated 

 similar work there. AttirstMr. Stevens's work, l)oth at Carthage and 

 St. Louis, consisted in getting the boys started in growing vegetables 

 and tiowers at home, but this year he has secured the cooperation of 

 the officers of the Hodgen School, of which he is principal," in organiz- 

 ing garden work in connection with the school. 



About the middle of June a junior school of horticulture was begun 

 in St. Louis under the direction of the Civic Improvement League. 

 The league was given the privilege of using as nuich land as was 

 needed of a 16(>-acre tract belonging to the Missouri Botanical Gar- 

 den. At present (July 7) 60 gardens, 11 by 165 feet, are laid out and 

 occupied. Any boy in the city may have a sinnliar plat on applica- 

 tion free of charge. The common vegetables, such as corn, tomatoes, 

 beans, turnips, etc., and several varieties of flowers are planted, and 

 the planting is uniform throughout the garden. The ])oys come in 

 classes of 15 one morning each week to receive instruction, and all are 

 present on Saturday morning. There is a Avonderful opportunit}^ for 

 work of this kind to succeed in St. Louis, for many citizens have 

 taken a keen interest in the movement. Funds have been pro\'ided for 

 expenses and prizes, and enough land has been offered for the use of 

 the gardens next year to enable the league to supply 1,000 boys with 

 gardens if there should be a demand for so nuich. The boys them- 

 selves are most enthusiastic, and there is no doul:)t that they will be on 

 hand early next spring to put in their claim for gardens. 



« Since promoted to the principalt^hip of the Eugene Field School. 



