PREFACE 



ONE of the most striking educational movements of recent 

 times is toward the interesting of children in gardening. 

 State boards of education, local school boards, and local home 

 gardening associations have all encouraged and superintended 

 the work. The advantages are very plain, and in both town 

 and country two are chief. In the first place, children, whether 

 through an awakened love of flowers or an understanding of 

 the economic value of vegetables, are brought into direct con- 

 tact with nature, and must necessarily profit, mentally and 

 physically. In the second place, children are kept busy who 

 otherwise might be idle through the weeks of vacation. They 

 learn to work, they understand the values created by work, 

 and they gain from this both self-respect and respect for 

 property. Gardening thus becomes a lesson in civics. In 

 addition, in country towns intensive agriculture, our depend- 

 ence in the future, must be stimulated by gardening. The 

 garden movement is, for all these reasons, of even national 

 importance. 



This book is offered as a textbook of gardening for the 

 upper grammar grades. It covers not merely the school work 

 indoors and out, but also the work of gardening at home. 

 Thus it has a wide field, and at the same time follows the 

 natural activities of the school year. From his own knowl- 

 edge of gardening, as well as from his acquaintance with the 

 school and home gardening work at Concord, Massachusetts, 

 the author is certain that the book is practical. 



The divisions of the book explain themselves. Beginning 

 with the fall work at the opening of school, and following the 



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