65 



while not an uncommon form, is one of the altars of the gods and the ancients 



the most beautiful of all the Asters. The placed great faith in the efficacy of the 



rays are long and showy, in color pur- leaves as a charm against serpents. The 



plish-blue or deep violet. The plants at- American Indians have always prized 



tain a height of from one to three feet, these plants as a cure for skin diseases, 



the stems having rigid, bristly hairs and calling them the bee flower, as they sup- 



the leaves, which are entire, have a clasp- posed that the frequent visits of honey 



ing- base. bees, concentrated in the Asters the vir- 



The Asters have been highly consid- tues of many other forms of flowers, 

 ered from very early times. Virgil states Charles S. Raddin. 



that the flowers were used to decorate 



SCHOOL GARDENS. 



There is nothing more desolate than farms and gardens are cultivated with 



the average surroundings of the public new knowledge ; the boys and girls work 



school, and it would be cheerful news to in the home grounds with greatly in- 



learn that the recent pamphlet brought creased interest. . Destructive insects and 



out by the United States Department of disease are watched for. The products 



Agriculture upon the School Gardens of of the farms and gardens in this district 



the Rhine might bring about a reform in bring the best prices, because they are 



this direction. Attention is called to the handled with care and intelligence. The 



matter by a writer in the Outlook, who first requisite for such work is such prac- 



finds the pamphlet highly suggestive, tical knowledge as will make success pos- ' 



Says the writer : "It is a common experi- sible. The introduction of the school 



ence to enter from an absolutely barren garden into this country is entirely feasi- 



schoolyard into a schoolroom decorated ble. It would create a new avenue of em- 



with botanical and natural history charts, ployment for the students in our agricul- 



and to find these charts and text-books tural colleges and experiment stations ; it 



are the only mediums used for teaching will make another avenue for the use of 



these branches of the natural sciences, the knowledge collected by our Depart- 



The pamphlet above named shows the ment of Agriculture. Our township sys- 



practical application of the schoolroom tern would make a practical division for 



work. The grounds are cultivated en- the control of one agricultural supervisor 



tirely by the pupils,. two hours' work per and instructor." The Western Journal 



week being compulsory. The result is of Education, 

 that the community life is affected. The 



