PROGRESS IN AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. 283 



charm of original quest and discovery of natural objects and phe- 

 nomena will not be lost and that the finding of one thing will lead on 

 to the finding of another until at length the child realizes, though it 

 may be unconsciously, that the secrets of nature are united one with 

 another in most delightfid and usefid ways. The pupil's individu- 

 ality of interest, thought, action, and expression should also be 

 cultivated and strengthened, while accuracy of perception, execution, 

 and statement should at the same time be stimulated. 



Every school should have connected with it a school garden where 

 the smaller children can grow vegetables and flowers of easy culture 

 and the larger children can try simple experiments. The garden 

 work of the first group should be confined to planting and caring 

 for a few quick-growing vegetables and flowers, \nth only such 

 problems as arise incidentally in connection ^vith the work of gro\nng 

 plants. Concerning the relation of such work to nature study Davis 

 saj^s : "- 



All the processes of gardening are preeminently nature studies of the verj' best sort. 

 To rear a plant successfully, to be responsible for its life, to protect it and minister 

 to its needs, to become thus vitally connected with it, go a long way toward giving 

 the child the right attitude toward nature. This attitude or point of view, or means 

 of contact is, indeed, the chief purpose of nature study. This attitude is fundamental 

 for any development of an resthetic appreciation of nature. To rear a plant with all 

 its beauty of leaf and flower, if not creative art, has at least the elements of it, and 

 leads to more than a passive enjoyment of the beautiful. 



The value of a plant ^vill be greath' enhanced in the estimation 

 of a child if he is the sole owner of it; hence it wall pt-obably be 

 found best to supply a small garden for each child. A garden con- 

 taining 8 to 12 square feet will do for the children in Group I. At 

 the same time the opportunity to bring out the value of cooperative 

 endeavor should not be lost sight of, and provision should be made 

 some time during the course, if possible, for group gardens or class 

 gardens, either to include all the garden work of a class or group 

 for one season, or to be confined possibly to work on demonstration 

 plats of economic plants. 



The work outlined above furnishes an excellent basis for the study 

 of home geography, which is usually begun in the third yesLr, and 

 which will probably include oral work concerning the surrounding 

 farms, vineyards, orchards, and gardens; the gristmill, sa^nnill, 

 creamery, and canning factory; the streams, lakes, roads, railroads 

 and trolley lines; the churches, schools, libraries, and places of amuse- 

 ment; in short, all the more important local industries and com- 

 mercial and social institutions. Nature study may also be correlated 

 closely with home geography. The two may be carried on together 

 in much the same way as was suggested above for nature study, 

 language, numbers, and spelling. 



a School Gardens for California Schools, p. 42. 



