62 The Nature-Study Exhibition 



time on all the plots. This promotes order and regularity, and permits 

 of more easy assessment of the rewards when the gardens are annually 

 judged by a professional gardener in July. I do not believe in long 

 lessons in any subject, and so I, as a rule, have lessons in gardening, 

 half an hour in length, about three times weekly. The season, and 

 the nature of the weather, will, of course, affect the time and the 

 number of the lessons. Three separate half-hours are certainly better 

 than two whole hours given at one time. This is a principle I have 

 proved the truth of in all branches of school work. There must, of 

 course, be promptness and despatch in such a limited time as thirty 

 minutes ; and thus the boys are taught to value time and the virtue of 

 punctuality. The work is taken throughout the year ; for even in 

 winter there can always be found work in a garden upon the few fine 

 days our uncertain climate affords us. Note-books and a diary are 

 kept, and these furnish employment at times when the weather will not 

 permit of outdoor work. Lessons are also given on the life-history of 

 various insect pests ; and the gardener's feathered friends and foes 

 receive attention. On our ground the wire-worm, cockchafer grub, 

 leather-jacket, and various caterpillars have occasionally given much 

 trouble, the former more especially ; and to rid the garden of wire-worms 

 I know nothing better than the deft fingers and thumbs of some thirty 

 boys, whose eyes are almost as keen for a sight of the enemy as that 

 of its other implacable foe, the rook. In a single week during the 

 early spring, and when our ground was comparatively new, we have 

 killed thousands. As every wire-worm passes an existence of about five 

 years, in which to work havoc amongst the crops, it can be easily 

 imagined that such wholesale slaughter has often with us prevented 

 disappointment and disaster. By such relentless methods we have 

 almost eradicated the pest, where gas-lime and other vaunted remedies 

 were more or less a failure. 



" School Gardens can only reach the highest measure of success where 

 three conditions are present. These conditions are : 



" (i) The enthusiasm and practical knowledge of the teacher. 



" (2) The close proximity of suitable ground to the school premises; 



and 

 " (3) The adequate sufficiency and efficiency of the staff to permit 



of the master's temporary absence while conducting the 



classes in the garden. 



Where these conditions are present, then, in my opinion there is no 

 excuse for the absence of the subject from the school curriculum. And 



