273 THE PROFESSION 



OF FARMING 



a blind thing even to the farmer, how much more 

 to the uninstructed boy? 



The one idea many people have with reference 

 to the child and agriculture is weeding ! Weed- 

 ing that, with the " total depravity of inanimate 

 things," always requires to be done when other 

 and larger interests are absorbing the child's 

 mind. 



Now, the fact is, agriculture is one of the most 

 fascinating of occupations to children. 



Hundreds of cities within the last few years 

 have taken up the " School Gardens " idea, and 

 they report this year thousands of applicants for 

 garden plots they have no room for. In Water- 

 town, Massachusetts, for example, a town of only 

 1200, they have 150 garden plots and 20 on the 

 waiting lists, besides 100 "home gardens," i. e., 

 garden plots in the children's home yards. These 

 "home gardens" are properly a post-graduate 

 course, the child needing the instruction received 

 in the community gardens to fit him to work 

 alone. 



The crux of the matter is, if you want a child 

 (or an adult) to take an interest in agriculture, 



