•Rural School Leaflet. 



1023 



CHILDREN'S GARDENS 



L. H, BAILEY 



E want every school child in the State to grow a 

 few plants. We want every one of them to learn 

 something of why and how plants grow; and the best 

 and surest way to learn is to grow the plants and to 

 watch them carefully. We want everyone to become 

 interested in everything that lives and grows. It does 

 .■ not matter so very much just what kinds of plants one 

 grows as it does that he grows something and grows it 

 the best that he knows how. We want the children to 

 grow these plants for the love of it, — that is, for the fun of 

 it, — hence we propose that they grow flowers; for when 

 one grows pumpkins and potatoes, and such things, he 

 is usually thinking of how much money he is going to make at the 

 end of the season. Yet, we should like some rivalry in the matter 

 in every school, and we therefore propose that a kind of a fair be held 

 at the school-house next September, soon after school begins, so that 

 each child may show the flowers which he has grown. What a jolly 

 time that will be! 



Now, we must not try to grow too many things or to do too much. 

 Therefore, we propose that you grow Sweet-peas and China Asters. 

 They are both easy to grow, and the seeds are cheap. Each one has 

 many colors, and everybody likes them. Now let us tell you just how 

 we should grow them. 



I. The place. — Never put them — or any other flowers — in the middle 

 of the lawn, — that is, out in the center of the yard. They do not look 

 well there, and the grass roots run under them and steal the food and 

 the moisture. I am sure that you would not like to see a picture hung 

 up on a fence-post. It has no background, and it looks out of place. 

 The picture does not mean anything when hung in such a spot. In 

 the same way, a flower-bed does not mean anything when set out in the 

 center of a lawn. We must have a background for it, if possible, — a 

 wall upon which to hang it. So we will put the flower-bed just in front 

 of some bushes or near the back fence, or alongside the smoke-house, or 

 along the walk at the side of the house or in the back yard. The flowers 

 will not only look better in such places, but it will not matter so much 

 if we make a failure of our flower-beds; there are always risks to run, 

 for the old hen may scratch up the seeds, the cow may break into the 

 yard some summer night, or some bug may eat the plants up. 



