Inquiries and Answers 209 



equal importance with practical instruction in 

 agriculture a large lawn has been placed at 

 the entrance, while border beds of ornamental 

 flowers form the other boundaries. 



"But if school-gardening were confined to the 

 making of gardens, the planting of seeds and 

 the cultivation of crops, beneficial as these 

 experiences might be, it would still fall far 

 short of accomplishing the end desired in 

 introducing this subject into school courses. It 

 would soon degenerate into either play or 

 drudgery. To give it dignity and interest, and 

 to make it of practical value in later life, the 

 gardening is supplemented or preceded by 

 simple experiments in the classroom illustrating 

 the principles of germination and plant-growth; 

 and a study is made of seed dispersion, the 

 comparative value of soils and the work of 

 beneficial and injurious insects. Seeds are 

 planted in window-boxes, the seedlings afford- 

 ing material for language and drawing lessons 

 before being transplanted into the outdoor 

 beds The decorative value of flowers, leaves 

 and berries is considered, and the children are 

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