ORNAMENTING MICHIGAN SCHOOL GROUNDS. 107 



a small white flower did well; it blossomed all summer. The portulaca ex- 

 ceeded all our expectations, and blossomed until the last of September. 



Z. Garwood, Penn : Seeds were sown and plants well cared for, but drouth 

 shortened the outcome as we had no method of watering. I suggest that it 

 would be well to prepare the ground the autumn before planting, and the 

 using of some plants in pots plunged in the beds. 



Alice 0. Eeed, Springville : The season was pretty well advanced when the 

 seeds reached me, and much difficulty followed in the preparation of the soil. 

 After days of impatient delay for the school board to fulfill a promise to plow 

 the ground, a council was called, at which the children declared their willing- 

 ness and ability to perform the task by hand. Accordingly a spade, grub hoe, 

 and a wheelbarrow followed the children to school, and were utilized with 

 spirit and earnestness. It will be remembered that the earth was very dry at 

 that season, which rendered the work more arduous, but the little ones worked 

 with a will at every leisure interval until the seeds were planted. The drouth 

 continued, and fearing the seeds would not germinate without artificial 

 moisture, the children devised a plan to meet the exigency of the case, and a 

 neighboring patron learned that his lost sprinkling vessel was being vigorously 

 utilized by the tiny matrons and husbandmen of School District No. 5. After 

 much patient waiting the young plants appeared, accompanied by legions of 

 noxious weeds. Willing, industrious hands eradicated the weeds, and in due 

 time our school-yard presented an attractive appearance from the flowery 

 oases which here and tiiere dotted the inclosure. Among the favorite plants 

 were the candytuft, cypress vine, petunia, mignonette, and others. Joseph's 

 coat did not thrive well, but, considering the mode of culture and want of 

 fertilizers, we were far more successful than we had dared to hope^ The 

 project seemed to create an impetus, and added materially to the interest of 

 the school. More perfect unity prevailed during out-of-door exercise, and an 

 increased interest was visibly manifest during school hours. Please accept our 

 thanks for the flower seeds, and having gathered of the various kinds, we hope 

 to perpetuate the cultivation of the same. 



B. G. Shoemaker, Eeed City: We are thrice grateful for the seeds. We 

 had grave obstacles to overcome but we came out ahead. The school ground 

 was in a most primitive condition; the trees had been cut off and that was 

 all. We had no fence and had to carry water a long distance, and there was 

 a general apathy among the patrons. We had no encouragement at all, but 

 our garden was a success, and we planted out trees and shrubs successfully too. 

 Emulation was created among the pupils by giving each a place to work and a 

 work to do. Children that cared nothing for flowers before were led to love 

 and enjoy them, insomuch that they went home and started beds there. When 

 I look back and see what my school has done it is a perfect marvel to me, for 

 my oldest pupil was but 15. Marauders troubled us a good deal by plucking 

 our best flowers, which discouraged us somewhat, but we are glad to say that 

 our work has been a grand success and now (November 1st) we have flowers in 

 bloom. 



[A sketch of school-house and grounds as they were arranged accompanied 

 the letter from which the above extract is taken, but it is rather too elaborate 

 for a cut in this report.] 



The last letter we have to present in this account we give as a whole. It is 

 from Vevia Wadsworth,.of Adrian, and is so suggestive that an abstract would 

 be insufficient to do it any kind of justice. 



*' In writing at this date I am reminded of the old saying, 'Better late than 



