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SCHOOL GARDENS 



The damage by animals, which is almost certain to occur to 

 plants in his garden from time to time, furnishes the pupil a press- 

 ing motive for the study of harmful animals, such as gophers, 

 rabbits, ground squirrels and other rodents, moles, insects, some 

 birds at particular times and even barnyard fowls, when, as is 



A Rhode Island School Garden*. 



PICTURE loaned BY THE EXTENSION DEPARTMENT R. \. 

 LEGE. E. K. THOMAS SCHOOL GARDENS. 



HATE COL- 



often the case, the school garden is in close proximity to their 

 customary feeding grounds. Pupils will gladly embrace the op- 

 portunity to learn all they can about structures and habits of 

 animals so that they may be better able to devise means of ex- 

 termination or effectual control, and sometimes even of prevent- 

 ing attack, thus developing within themselves an inventiveness 

 and a resourcefulness which cannot but be of great value to 

 them in later life. The study of rodents and insects and birds 

 in their relation to the school garden furnishes a most excellent 

 point of departure for the study of these things in general should 

 it appear advantageous in any locality to make such a study. The 

 intensest interest will attach to the study of parasitic and pre- 

 daceous insects, and insect-eating animals because the pupil nat- 

 urally desires to be able to avail himself of Nature's assistance, 

 where such a thing is possible, in ridding his garden in a compara- 



