shlfeldt CHILDREN AND THE HOME GARDEN 107 



Before spring growth begins, get a sod of earth large enough 

 to fill a meat pan and place it in a sunny window, keeping it 

 well watered. Ere long you will see things sprouting, and will 

 have the pleasure of trying to identify the various plants. 



Remember, Darwin grew 82 different varieties of plants from 

 a ball of mud taken from the foot of a partridge. 



Your own fernball may be made by packing a few fern roots 

 from the woods with moss, tying it in the form of a ball, and 

 suspending it in a light place, not real sunny. Every day dip this 

 in water and you will enjoy the result. 



These few suggestions may help some teachers and pupils 

 to love and turn to nature-study as many of our greatest men and 

 women did. 



Children and the Home Garden Movement 



By Dr. R. W. Shlfeldt 

 Washington, D. C. 



There has recently been put on foot in Washington a very wide 

 and well-organized movement, making for the encouragement of 

 its citizens, in the use of their small house gardens — such as may 

 have them — for the purpose of raising table vegetables, either 

 for home consumption or for sale. The object is an economic 

 one, in that the living may be better, and the family pass well fed 

 and cared for through the present stage of senseless high prices 

 for food. 



In size these gardens run from ten to twenty feet to half an 

 acre or more ; and it is truly remarkable how far even a small one 

 will go towards keeping an ordinary family in vegetables for the 

 table — that is, if it be properly planted, managed, and due care 

 is taken of it. Quite recently the public schools have taken 

 up this matter, and the children in all grades are being carefully 

 instructed in the horticulture of the home garden. Thev are 

 making, as a rule, a great success of it, and it is very gratifying 

 to note the interest children of all ages are taking in it. Miss 

 Susan B. Sipe. who has an important department in one of the 

 largest of Washington's public schools, gave the classes, numbering 

 some 200 children, a talk on this subject on the second of April, 

 191 7. at which, by invitation, the writer was present. 



