1904.] ADDRESS. 25 



ing tho seed (spn^adiiifj; seod, my pii])ils call it), considorod. 

 This brings out many interesting observations. 



If tlio seed is planted too deep, it will be lost in the soil; 

 if too near the surface^ the rain will wash it away — observa- 

 tions again with purpose. The right (le})th is at last decided 

 upon and the seed planted. Then begins a daily scrutiny of 

 tlie garden, every morning before school. It leads to the 

 discovery tliat the earth is cracking, and the children say that 

 the seeds are swelling and will soon be up. They are right. 

 A triumphant report is soon made: ''Our seeds are up!" The 

 unfortunate person who has never planted a seed can never 

 know the pleasure and gratitude and triumph in that report, 

 "Our seeds are up!" The miracle is a miracle still. Could 

 any lesson in pulling flowers to pieces and giving scientific 

 names to the plants inspire a child as this does? Is there 

 any doubt in your mind which lesson you would choose for 

 your children? 



Would you prefer to have your child learn that our innocent 

 little saxifrage had leaves "oborate or oval-spatulate, narrowed 

 into a broad petiole, crenate-toothed, thickish; flowers in a 

 clustered cyme, which is at length open and loosely panicled; 

 lobes of the nearly free calyx erect; not half the length of the 

 oblong, obtuse petals, follicles united merely at the base, diver- 

 gent, purplish," or to find out how and where it grew and how 

 to make it comfortable in a garden? Which is connected more 

 closely with the life interests and activities of the child? Which 

 contains more promise for the future? Hundreds of men 

 cannot read a line of Greek or Latin after they have been out 

 of college a few years. But had these same men spent four 

 j^ears in studying practical agriculture or horticulture the 

 chances are that they would never forget it. 



Few schools can afford to give much land for garden purposes. 

 But it requires little land if worked as a common garden and 

 not as individual plots. This is the plan followed at the Upsala 

 street school, where, owing to the generosity of Miss Helen 

 A. Ball, who gave loam, tools, plans and seeds, garden work 

 has l^een carried on for years. 



