28 The Ottawa Naturalist. [April 



without swerving to the right or left, the half opened eyes, before 

 seeing naught but the factories around, now dimly descrying the 

 Hudson and the light on the hills beyond. 



The history of the making of the New York Garden is that of 

 gardens in many cities. Back yards are no longer unsightly. In 

 some cases the stone flagging of the school yard has given place 

 to miniature gardens of great beauty. Historically, gardens for 

 instruction have been an educational factor for many centuries. 

 Nearly 2500 years ago Persian boys received instructions in agri- 

 culture and horticulture, in gardens set apart for that purpose. 

 Through the middle ages gardens for educational purposes existed 

 throughout Central Europe. The first definite movement toward 

 establishing school gardens was made in Australia in 1869, when 

 a law was passed instituting gardens in connection with all 

 schools in country districts. 



In school gardens must lie the main interest of those who 

 believe that the public schools are the basis of national character. 

 Statistics upon this subject are diflficult to obtain, but an idea of 

 the extent to which this branch of education is carried in European 

 countries may be obtained from the following statement. In 

 Austria there are no less than eight thousand school gardens, in 

 Sweden two thousand and sixteen, while in France practical 

 gardening is taught in 2,800 primary and elementary schools. 



America has only begun to realize her opportunity in the value 

 of school gardens as an educational force among the thousands of 

 children in her crowded cities. An effort is being made to attract 

 the attention of educators to the " Model School Garden " which, 

 directed by Mr. Hemenway of the Hartford Srhool of Horticul- 

 ture, will be a most attractive feature of the World's Fair at St. 

 Louis. 



If the Public Education Association of Philadelphia succeeds 

 in its effort to have at least one school garden opened in the sum- 

 mer of 1904, the garden movement will have been at least inau- 

 gurated in four great Eastern cities, New York, Boston, Phila- 

 delphia and Washington. The first school garden in America was 

 started by Mr. Henry S. Clapp at Boston, in 1890. The garden 

 was originally intended for wild flowers and so well has the 



