54 
Cooperation with Local Schools 
Talks at Schools—About twenty talks on garden making were 
given by the instructor during the spring before the pupils and 
teachers of various public and high schools throughout Brooklyn. 
Over 11,000 pupils have been in this way reached and influenced. 
School Classes at the Garden.—Although the Garden was closed 
to the general public throughout the season on account of grading 
operations and the construction of new walks, a number of high 
schools and grammar schools as well as several private schools 
have visited the Garden conservatories and outdoor plantations, 
as well as the Japanese garden, and a few have utilized the lab- 
oratories for instructional purposes. An advanced class in botany 
from Erasmus Hall High School, for example, used the greenhouse 
laboratories during six periods in the spring for making experi- 
ments on various phases of plant physiology; while classes from 
the Commercial High School have also had a number of excursions 
and physiological demonstrations, at the Garden. Also, a class 
of thirty seniors in kindergarten methods from Pratt Institute 
came to the Garden at regular intervals from March till the middle 
of June for a course with the instructor in gardening and kinder- 
garten work. 
Conferences on Garden Making, Assistance in Home Garden- 
ing, etc-—The instructor has given largely of her time and energy 
in giving advice and other assistance to teachers and others at var- 
ious schools and homes throughout Brooklyn, on the planning and 
planting of school and home gardens. About 500 home gardens 
were visited for this purpose during July and August. Also her 
time was in demand for judging flower shows and garden exhibits, 
and in presiding over and directing the activities of the New York 
Branch of the Nature Study Association. Other members of the 
Garden staff have naturally been called in consultation less often, 
but have frequently passed upon such problems as the disease and 
injury of plants, poisoning by gas, and other similar questions. 
There is no doubt but that such encouragement and stimulation 
in the production of home and school gardens as has had its initia- 
tive in the Garden during the past year has already borne much 
fruit, and the future development of this line of work in such a 
favorable environment as the city of Brooklyn is practically limit- 
fu 
