OrnaiDcntinij Our School Yards. 443 



4. An accurate account must be taken of all money spent in the 

 purchase of boxes, pots, seeds, bulbs or cuttings. 



5. It will be admissible to use rooted plants that may be obtained 

 from the woods or growing wild, but no rooted plants may be taken 

 from gardens or hothouses . 



6. In deciding Avhich rooms are entitled to prizes, account mil be 

 made of the selection, growth and vigor of plants taking into considera- 

 tion the sun exposure; economy of expenditure compared with re- 

 sults; artistic arrangement; per cent of pupils in the room who prepare 

 good papers upon the theme "Our Window Garden." 



These window gardens have created a great interest in plants and the 

 result of the experiences they have had will give pupils better ability to 

 take part in the home contest that begins next spring. In this home 

 contest, four prizes are distributed to those pupils of the schools who 

 shall have the best and most artistic ilower gardens on the home lot on 

 an area not to exceed fifty square feet, the flowers to be annuals of the 

 variety designated by the committee. Four prizes are also to be given 

 to the pupils who shall have the most artistic vine plantings of annuals 

 on house, porch, posts, fences or outl)uildings. Pamphlets giving full 

 instructions are furnished to each contestant and the teachers assist 

 pupils in whatever way they are able to give assistance. Each con- 

 testant in this, as well as in the window contest, writes a complete history 

 of his experiences. 



Aside from these methods of bringing about improvement in school 

 grounds, much may be done to make Arbor Day of permanent value. 

 The results of years of plantings on Arbor Day have not been greatly 

 to improve the appearance of the school grounds. In some cases trees 

 and shrubs have been planted scattered through the grounds in such a 

 way that if they were not destroyed by the pupils playing about them 

 they became unpopular on account of restricting the play area. In 

 other cases a considerable part of the grounds has been set apart for the 

 nursery style of planting, mth the result that "Keep off the grass" notices 

 are in evidence, and yet no landscape contributing to the pleasure of 

 ])upils has been secured. Special efforts should be made to have Arbor 

 Day plantings consist of hardy shrubs and trees set in such a way that 

 they will not interfere with the play grounds, but shall serve either to 



