18 



GARDEN CLUBS IN SCHOOLS OF ENGLEWOOD^ N. J. 



to the trench. When the time canie for covering the seed and 

 firming- the soil, most of the chikh-en liked best to do the work 

 with their hands. Others used the back edge of a rake, and some 

 made a plow of their feet, taking short steps as they covered the 

 seed and firmed the soil at the same time. While the latter method 

 is amusing to the children, it is not very satisfactory. In moving 

 plants the soil was carefully firmed about the roots. The most 

 diligent of the children labeled each row in their garden with a 

 stake. This bore the name and variety of the vegetable, the name 

 of the seedsman, the dates of planting and transplanting. 



THE WORK DONE DURING THE DAY WAS RECORDED AT NIGHT. 



SEEDS. 



The necessity of using good seed was impressed upon the children 

 through bringing out the importance of labeling everything planted, 

 so that a complete record could be kept of the seed used and its 

 desirability. Seed-testing demonstrations during the late winter 

 served the same purpose. At every opportunity the importance of 

 dealing with reliable seed firms was impressed upon the children. 



The seeds used by the children were purchased from well-estab- 

 lished dealers. A few were donated. They were all procured in 

 wholesale lots and then put up in small packets by some of the 

 children under the direction of the instructor. Each packet was 

 labeled by means of a rubber stamp as to the kind of seed it con- 

 tained, the variety, the seedsman from whom it came, and the ap- 

 proximate date for planting. 



