258 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Note accompanying charts on preceding pages. Fields A, B, C, D 

 and F are in a five year rotation as follows: First year wheat, with 

 which grass seed is sown ; second year grass ; third year grass ; fourth 

 years oats, and rye is sown early in September on the fall plowed 

 oats stubble; filth year rye pastured early and plowed under for 

 corn, rape being sown with the corn at the last cultivation to be used 

 for late fall plowing. 



By starting with wheat a year later on each successive field the 

 five fields are used each year as follows : One field of wheat, two 

 fields of grass, one field of oats and one field of corn; thus making 

 a systematic rotation, each crop rotating around to each field every 

 fifth year. A few years are necessary to have all the rotation in its 

 regular order. 



In fields E and G a two year rotation is carried on : a spring 

 grain followed in the fall by rye; the rye is pastured the next spring 

 and followed by fodder corn. The next two years is a repetition of 

 the first two, etc. In field H fodder corn is grown year after year. 



In the left hand chart are, first, short rows of annual 

 flowering plants, then rows of vegetable crops. In the center of the 

 left hand chart are numerous individual plants of perennials and 

 ornamental fruits and vegetable crops ; in the lower part of this 

 chart are numerous individual plants of the common field crops, to 

 be used for botanical study of their leaves, stems, roots, flowers and 

 seeds. 



Gardens planted in this manner, forty feet square, are found to 

 be very satisfactory in size, and where all the labor is paid for such 

 a garden costs only a few dollars annually. 



The only drawback to managing these school gardens comes 

 from the absence of the teacher and pupils during part of the sum- 

 mer season. Some one will be needed near each school who will 

 assume the care of the garden during the vacation and who will con- 

 sult with the teacher when there is a change from one teacher to 

 another. Possibly this women's league can get the farm women of 

 the state interested, and in many localities appoint women who will 

 interest themselves in keeping up these gardens. These experi- 

 ments have given us new hope in this plan of work in our public 

 schools. If we can get all interested to work in introducing agri- 

 cultural leaflets and text books into our rural schools ; if we can have 

 hung on the walls of the country school house charts relating to the 

 interesting and important in farming and farm life ; and if we can get 

 our teachers to instruct in these nature studies, we will have in the 

 future a greater state horticultural society and a greater state ag- 

 ricultural society. The introduction of agriculture and nature study 



