290 THE SCHOOL GARDEN. 



Plan and Size of Garden. 



A School G-arden is commonly a rectangular area en- 

 closed by a simple fence, and as a rule is in a corner of a 

 field near the school. The size of the garden varies with 

 the number of pupils and with the system adopted. In 

 general from one-eighth to one-fourth of an a.cre is suffi- 

 cient, and where there is a difficulty in getting ground 

 gardens are even smaller, 



In the plot systems, which have been most generally 

 adopted, the garden is divided into rectangular plots 

 varying in size from about one rod or square pole (ten 

 yards by three yards) in the case of individual plots, to 

 one and a quarter or two rods where the plots are worked 

 by two or three boys. Experience has shown that smaller 

 plots, besides being too small to furnish scope for the 

 pupils' energies, are likewise too limited to provide a suffi- 

 cient variety of crops and give a useful quantity of produce 

 a most important point when the produce is sold. 

 Usually a gravelled path runs the length of the garden, on 

 either side of which the plots are arranged. A space of 

 one and a half to two feet divides each plot. 



For a modified type of garden, as already suggested, 

 from one-seventh to one-eighth of an acre would be suffi- 

 cient for a class of twenty pupils. 



The plan on page 291 illustrates a garden of this type 

 for a class of twenty boys. 



Garden Crops. 



Gardening, as seen a-t the different centres, is mainly 

 confined to the growing of the ordinary vegetable crop 

 suitable to the district. In most cases the boys are en- 

 couraged to grow a few hardy flowers in their plots, and 

 occasionally a herbaceous border forms part of the common 

 garden. So far there has been little done in fruit culture. 



Teachers with experience are much against complicating 

 the work by too great a variety of crops and by manurial 

 tests. 



