Teachers' Leaflet. 637 



schemes more with vacant-lot gardens than with gardens under home 

 conditions. It must be remembered that gardening is not required 

 work, Hke that of the school room and the child must be held to his 

 undertaking by methods of inspiration rather than that of command. 

 Instruction in each step is necessary, but do not nag. If the boy or girl 

 persists in not observing directions, let the shame that follows failure 

 be the consequence and wisdom may follow the mistake. It is well to 

 let the proprietor of the garden have some latitude in the choice of what 

 he plants, as far as such is reasonable. Make free use of that inspiration 

 that comes from pride of ownership. 



Finally let me say that if the vacant-lot garden is the best form that 

 you have, make the most of it if you are quite certain of the funds to 

 bear the expense. 



Do not be discouraged because there may be a hundred enthusiastic 

 beginners in the spring and but a fraction of that number in the fall. In 

 every university there are more freshmen than seniors. 



A LAnoRATORY GARDEN is 3. Strip of soil on the school grounds pri- 

 marily for demonstration purposes only. 



The soil as you find it may be poor for the purpose ; it may lack fer- 

 tility ; it may be a tenacious clay, or filled with stones and the debris from 

 the cellar of the scliool building. Temples of learning are never located 

 with a view that the soil is adapted to agricultural teaching. Over- 

 coming such difficulties will make good instruction. It may be teaching 

 by the negative, but in the negative lies many good lessons. (See sug- 

 gestions to teachers, page 35, New Series No. 3.) 



This laboratory may be composed of strips of land located at the sides 

 or back of the school ground, provided such location is not in the way 

 of school games. Its use would be during the spring and fall months, 

 with no idea of taking a plant througli all the summer from seed time to 

 harvest. Lessons of germination of seeds could be given, method of 

 planting, sowing and tillage until the school closes in June. Specimens 

 of most farm crops rfiay be sown, many of which will be far enough 

 developed to show leading characteristics for identification. There is 

 a large list of forage plants, grasses, clovers, etc., many of them bienniak 

 or perennials, tliat can be sown and most of them may be made per- 

 manent on the grounds. Planting a plot of this kind is practicable and 

 valuable for the rural school. I venture to say that it is a well-informed 

 farmer who knows more than half a dozen grasses and as many clovers. 



In the laboratory garden there may be a "Catchall corner" where a 

 little of anything may be planted for the purpose of watching develop- 

 ments and future identification. Children are fond of collecting spring 



