91 



Seed Work 



This year 797,664 packets of seeds were distrilnitccl, which 

 is nearly 240,000 more than were distributed last year. This 

 number of packets represents nearly 265,000 children, 6,621 

 teachers, and 437 schools. 



Distribution of Nature Materials 



Under this heading I should like to call to your atttention the 

 "enormous amount of nature material and living- plants which 

 goes out from this department annually. 



During the year 1929 more material was distrilmted by the 

 Department of Elementary Instruction than ever before in its 

 history. Nearly 4,000 potted plants were sent to schools, not for 

 aesthetic purposes, but for definite study. This represents over 

 4,000 teachers and nearly 200,000 children. Plants arc still pre- 

 sented to classes to be taken Ijack to schools largely for decorative 

 purposes. Over 300 such plants were sent out to 66 schools, rep- 

 resenting over 20,000 children and over 500 teachers. 



It might be of interest to note here that from our instruction 

 greenhouses through our teachers' classes and our children's 

 classes, and the schools sending classes for intensive study, over 

 22,000 plants have gone out. The sum total of all this work 

 represents nearly 27,000 plants, over 5,000 teachers, and nearly 

 250,000 children. This figure does not take into account the per- 

 ennials and annuals supplied to our school gardens of Brooklyn. 

 This year we presented nearl\- 8,000 of these plants to 26 of our 

 school gardens, representing help to over 1,000 teachers and more 

 than 50,000 children. 



The following letter from one of the schools is typical of those 

 received by us in connection with this work of plant distribution. 



P. S. 46, 



Borough of Brooklyn, 

 March 18, 1929. 

 My dear Miss Sliazu: 



All of us here feel that the success of our Nature Room is clue to your 

 great interest and generosity. The children love to go to it and learning 

 about tlie specimens is a pleasure and not a task for them. 



