Teachers' Leaflet. 603 



LESSON CLXXn. 



THE SOIL FOR WINDOW BOXES AND ITS PREPARATION. 



Purpose. — To teach the pupil what kind of soil is best for plant 

 growth and how it should be prepared before putting in the pots 

 or boxes. 



The question where pupils can get a supply of soil to fill the egg 

 shells, two and one-half inch pots or the quart berry baskets is one for 

 the teacher to decide. If she is within easy reach of a florist a supply 

 from him will be ideal and the expense for the amount required will not 

 be more than five or ten cents. His potting earth is mostly composed of 

 rotted sods which composted with some well rotted manure means 

 abundance of humus. (For importance of humus see Lesson CXXXIIL) 

 If the soil on which the sods grew was of a clayey tendency, the florist 

 will have mixed some sand with the compost to prevent the potting earth 

 from becoming too hard from frequent watering. (See October issue, 

 page 36.) 



If you have had previous experience and you wish to teach all the 

 details possible regardless of convenience, you should go to the woods 

 and gather leaf mould to mix with any good garden soil ; or if leaf mould 

 is not obtainable, mix sand with the garden soil to give friability. (See 

 October issue, page 36.) 



The florist screens his potting soil through a one-half inch mesh. 

 When such screened soil is put into the egg shells, pots or quart berry 

 baskets, it will be too lose — the grains of soil are not snuggled closely 

 together to give compactness. Therefore, jar the soil to settle it and fill 

 again, leaving a top margin of one-half inch as a rim to hold the water — 

 when plants are taking a bath. The owner's name may be written on 

 the receptacle and it may be called his farm. These farms may be used 

 as a means of discipline by occasionally permitting the owner, if of good 

 conduct, to have his farm on his desk for examination. Put it in the 

 light of a privilege. To gaze at a few stalks of peppergrass that are his 

 property means much to him and he will see more things about them 

 than many people ever dreamed they possessed. 



LESSON CLXXIII • 



PEPPERGRASS AS A WINDOW GAFDEN CROP 



Purpose. — To have the pupils sow the kind of seed that can produce 

 plants quickly. 



The seed that best suits the circumstances of young children is 

 peppergrass. It is seldom sold at retail stores in small packages but 

 may be found in the catalogue of all seedsmen under the name of 



