86 WORCESTER COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. [1899. 



the best physical development. It will be observed that all out 

 doors is the schoolroom, that these fundamental truths come 

 from his observations made in playtime, and that there is no 

 suggestion of a task to be done. This kind of nature work 

 should be carried on through every year of school life, with 

 more and more attention given to details as the student advances. 

 This kind of orjo^inal investigation is invaluable in the formation 

 of strong, self-reliant character. We take our pills as they arc 

 prepared for us, sugar-coated often, that we may not lealize 

 what we are taking, but the eternal truth cannot be taken in 

 doses prepared by another, but in order that it become our very 

 own, and really add to our strength, we must by our own efforts 

 gain it. 



In our town, we try to interest the children in the birds and 

 flowers. We have those among our citizens, prominent among 

 them Miss Edith Barnes, who addressed this Society recently, 

 who are able and willing to give time for bird walks, which our 

 teachers generally attend ; and they, in their turn, take the 

 children on similar excursions. Thus they become quite enthu- 

 siastic in watching for the return of our little songsters and in 

 studying their habits during the summer. Perhaps the children 

 are equally anxious to search fields and wood for wild flowers. 

 I believe this an eflbrt in the right direction, encourairing orio;- 

 inal investigation, and beneficial to the health. 



Right here, perhaps, it will not be amiss to say that I most 

 heartily approve the efforts of this Society in encouraging the 

 study of our wild flowers by our women in their homes. I have 

 been delighted to see two of my neighbors, young women, 

 mothers of children, roaming over woods and fields with flushed 

 cheeks and shining eyes, in search of the daintiest and rarest of 

 our lovely wild flowers. And they took prizes, too, several of 

 them. 



I also approve, as a means of education, of the attempts of 

 this Society to encourage children to cultivate flowers. 1 don't 

 know what plan has been followed, but it seems to me I should 

 try to have the gardening extremely simple in the beginning, 

 taking the hardiest plants, like nasturtiums or petunias. If ray 



