INTRODUCTION n 



rather costly measures. Some soils may be enriched by lib- 

 eral manuring, and for this purpose fertalizers may be 

 obtained free of expense from near-by stables, even in a city. 

 Some schools have made a start on a small scale with soil 

 brought from the woods and from home gardens in little 

 bags by the children. Thoroughgoing work, however, implies 

 the purchase of soil in liberal quantity. While this should 

 be provided by the school authorities, some communities are 

 not yet ready to approve such public expenditure. Ex- 

 perience shows that in such cases it is possible to raise funds 

 easily by a school entertainment or by a subscription taken 

 among the parents. To use the money to the best advan- 

 tage, one should watch for the opportunity to secure the soil 

 from a contractor, when a cellar is being dug on a lot with 

 good soil in the neighborhood of the school. It is wise to 

 place the soil deeply, say twenty inches in depth, rather than 

 in a shallow layer in order to secure a larger garden. Plants 

 will live in shallow soil, but they thrive in thoroughly culti- 

 vated deep soil. 



In some communities public sentiment may still class 

 school gardening as a useless fad. This hostility may be 

 changed. The hearty endorsement and co-operation of 

 superintendent and school board is a first requisite. The aid 

 of the press may be secured to praise the work elsewhere, to 

 call for its introduction, to approve heartily the first efforts in 

 the community, to call for its active development and for 

 the substantial aid of the authorities. In connection with a 

 parents' association, or an improvement club, a public meet- 

 ing may be held to present values and methods, for school 

 gardening only needs to be fairly presented to win ample 

 support. 



