henuricks] SCHOOL-GAKDEXS AT DELPHI 49 



We have found one obstacle which is serious and which we 

 are unable to overcome. We planted as early as the season 

 would allow, and only those vegetables which mature early, yet 

 the plants had not matured when school closed. Only a few 

 pupils live near enough to care for their gardens during vacation 

 and the supervision of the teacher is wanting. We attempted to 

 solve this problem the following year by planting only those 

 vegetables or grains which mature after school opens again in the 

 autumn. We were partially successful. But in order to ac- 

 complish this it was necessary to take a step in advance of that 

 intended. We planted corn and tomatoes collectively and cared 

 for each by rooms. A small field of late beans and another of 

 cabbages were planted by rooms. The janitor cultivated the 

 crops during vacation, after which they were harvested by the 

 pupils and taken to a canning factory. The successive steps in 

 these processes were noted and reported by pupils. The pro- 

 ceeds of their co-operative labor adorned their several rooms. 



The commercial value of the gardens has not been emphasized, 

 yet its value is apparent. The ground in cultivation measures a 

 half acre and brought returns during the past year as follows : 



Tomatoes $ 5.85 



Premiums on tomatoes .50 



Corn 12.79 



Fodder 1.00 



Cabbage 8.25 



Cucumbers 10.00 



Total $38.39 



Cucumbers proved the most profitable crop of the season, one- 

 twentieth of an acre bringing a return of ten dollars. 



A small exhibit was made at the Delphi street fair and first 

 premium taken on tomatoes. Our boys declared that we should 

 have received first premium on cabbage also if we had not been 

 "jockeyed." 



In the vegetable gardens it has been possible to notice the 

 character of soil in pieparation for planting; to observe the 

 importance of selecting good seed; the necessity of pollination, 

 etc. The fodder from the corn field was sold and the effect on the 

 soil of thus removing the entire crop was discussed. In other 

 and smaller beds nitrogen collecting plants were removed from 

 one bed and turned under in another to show the exhaustion of 



