20 
for a variety of purposes; quintannie, for breaking up and dig- 
ging very hard soils, severing large roots, etc. 
In the Administrative Report of the Director of the Royal 
Botanic Gardens at Ceylon, for 1910-11, Part 4, information is 
given, on page C-20, about the school gardens under the jurisdic- 
tion of the Royal Botanic Gardens. It is very interesting to 
notice here the extent to which the school garden idea is spread- 
ing. According to a statement given, the number of school 
gardens listed has risen from 224 in 1910, to 246 in Igro-11, 
and it is further stated that the movement is steadily spreading 
to non-Government schools, most of which are in the hands of 
missionaries. ‘The Director of School Gardens also states that 
he is constantly receiving inquiries from outside the Island of 
Ceylon for information regarding the work of school gardens, 
and has submitted a paper on the subject to the Director of the 
Royal Botanic Gardens, who is bringing it out as a departmental 
circular. This circular, he states, with a map of the island 
showing the distribution of school gardens, and illustrations of 
the Government Stock Garden and up-country and low-country 
school gardens, should furnish the necessary information for 
organizing work on similar lines elsewhere. Definite arrange- 
ments have been made for bringing the garden into closer touch 
with the routine work of the school, and for emphasizing the 
educational value of school gardens. A ‘Teachers’ Manual of 
Nature Study, as well as Agricultural Readers for the Fourth 
and Fifth Standards, will before very long supply a necessary 
link between the literary and the practical sides of the school 
curriculum. 
In order to arouse the interest of both children and their 
parents in these activities, school and ‘“‘school-cum-village” shows 
are organized, and a public spirited citizen in one of the Dis- 
tricts awards annually a prize shield to the best school garden 
in each korale. Another public spirited resident gives annually 
50 Rupees (about $15) for school garden prizes. 
C. Stuart GAGER. 
