SCHOOL GARDENS. 



575 



constructed and nourished, and the condi- 

 tions for their healthy growth; (h) the se- 

 lection of seed in the production, of better 

 varieties. 



School gardens may also be of great ser- 

 vice in the teaching of arithmetic and geome- 

 try in a rational manner. For example, 

 such topics as the following come up at 

 every turn: (a) the number of plants re- 

 quired to fill a given space ; (b) the garden 

 account, supposing that the seed and mature 

 plant have their value, and that a boy's time 

 is worth something ; (c) the comparative 

 cost of two plots treated differently ; (b) the 

 calculation of the percentage of sound seeds 

 in a given sample in a germination test; (e) 

 the calculation of losses by insects, and the 

 gains by beneficial birds, frogs, and insects ; 

 (f) the laying out of the plots in various 

 forms will bring home to every pupil the 



Plan gffAeSeAoe/Gtuttlmt in Hartbery, Gfrmany 



M ^ 1 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I- ''' j . 



Fig 2610. School Gardens in Hartberg, 

 Germany. 



meaning of straight lines, curved lines, cir- 

 cles, triangles and squares; (g) the con- 

 struction of these plots to scale ;• (h) the es- 

 timation of the slope of the garden, etc. 



In the solution of many of the problems 

 which have been indicated, drawing will 

 come in as essential, especially in the making 

 of diagrams to illustrate important facts hi 

 the structure of plants and insects, and in 

 the delineation of beautiful flowers and 

 leaves. 



It is wonderful how many questions will 



be asked by the pupils during the progress 

 of their garden work which will often stag- 

 ger the best teacher. Such familiar phe- 

 nomena as the growth of stems upwards, the 

 roots downwards, and the branches horizon- 

 tally, will be brought forcibly to the minds 

 of the pupils who will undoubtedly ask for 

 an explanation. What happens when water 

 is poured on dry dusty soil? How does 

 water rise from the saucer to the soil in the 

 pot? How many plants shut up before 

 rain ? Why is there no dew under the shade 

 of trees? Why do not the leaves of cab- 

 bage become wet with rain ? Questions 

 such as these will occur to the mind of the 

 average child who is interested in garden 

 work. 



During a recent trip to New England the 

 writer paid a visit to the School of Horticul- 

 ture at Hartford. This school is under the 

 charge of Prof. Hemenway, and it situated 

 in the country about a mile from the end of 

 the street car line. Arrangements are made 

 with the schools of the city of Hartford 

 whereby the children may take garden work 

 after 4 o'clock and on Saturdays. The ex- 

 perience of the last three years reveals the 

 fact that the children are seldom absent, and 

 that the " street loafers " have become quite 

 industrious boys. It seems to the writer 

 that such could be done in Ontario by the 

 introduction of school gardens such as those 

 at Hartford. 



The experience of the Director of the 

 Broadview Boys' Institute in Toronto shows 

 clearly that garden making and garden keep- 

 ing may be made a potent factor in the edu- 

 cation of the boys during their leisure hours. 

 When boys prefer tending their garden plots 

 to witnessing a football match in an adjoin- 

 ing field, it is surely time for the authorities 

 to take action and provide garden grounds 

 where all who will may have plots. 



In every town there is usually one or more 

 persons of leisure who could conduct school 



