pollard] 



SCHOOL GARDENS IN IDAHO 



209 



the reasons for various processes. The effect and value of soil 

 cultivation, the effect of different kinds of soil, capillarity, such 

 phenomena as root absorption, the work of root hairs, leaf transpira- 

 tion, leaf and stem conduction, starch manufacture and starch 

 storage are topics whose classroom discussion and garden observa- 

 tion have a direct bearing on practical work. 



This spring we had a strip of land 20' x 125', extending north and 

 south, for school gardens. It was plowed for us but neither culti- 

 vated nor measured. The sixth grade measured all but the 

 individual plots as an arithmetic lesson, and in arithmetic, not 

 nature-study, recitation period. 



Second Grade Cultivating 



The second grade, a class of sixteen, cultivated its garden 1 5^x2 5' 

 by means of tools distributed to one-half the class, and by using 

 sticks and their fingers for further pulverizing the soil. All were 

 required to be busy during the entire lesson. When ready for 

 planting the ground was carefully measured by the pupils, two of 

 whom were delegated to place a string attached to sticks at each 

 end, in order to make trenches straight. Four rows of radishes, 

 four of lettuce, four of onion and seven of beans were planted. 

 When time for weeding came, it was very convenient to assign one 

 row to a child allowing the more rapid workers to weed the extra 

 rows. Only the radishes and lettuce were mature when school 

 closed. These were distributed to pupils to take home. Many 

 interesting, helpful observations were made on the seedlings 



