CHILDREN'S CORNER 115 



Gardening in 1918 



The first garden I ever had was last summer, and I think I s:ot a pretty good 

 reward for my labors. 



Mine were school gardens, numbers 37 and 38, at Eleventh and Girard 

 streets. In the early spring the lot we selected for the garden was the com- 

 munity dvtmp yard from appearances, because there was all sorts of trash 

 scattered about. But when the Ross School started to straighten things out 

 the lot looked like it had gone through a severe scrubbing. When the lot was 

 cleared up we began planting almost right away. The first thing we planted 

 was two rows of chard, next we planted se\'en rows of green string beans, and 

 after this we planted five tomato plants, and then we planted the com. After 

 school closed the boy next to me gave up his garden and I bought it. The first 

 of the vegetables to get ripe was the chard. I had so much of this chard that 

 I had enough for my family, besides gi\*ing enough to the lady next door for 

 her family. After this the beans got ripe and my mother said they were the 

 best beans she ever tasted. She canned about twenty quarts. 



The tomatoes we got from the gardens were beauties. Every one of them 

 were great big, round, red tomatoes. And at one time I got a great big 

 clothes basket full of tomatoes, which my mother canned. The com wasn't 

 very good as the ears were rather small. Toward the opening of school the 

 crops declined, and when school opened the only vegetables were chard and 

 green tomatoes. 



As I had very good luck with my garden, and as it was also patriotic I think 

 I v/ill have one next year. 

 7th Grade, Ross School. Joseph McKaig. 



Dear Mrs. Alburtis: ^'°^- ^L I9i8. 



I want to tell you how much I appreciate the nature teacher's trouble to 

 come and tell us all the interesting things about plants and the soil. The com, 

 I thought, was the most interesting study we had. The fact that it is truly 

 American is best of all. The best time I ever had in the country was running 

 through a com field and then finding myself covered with fine yellow dust 

 which I lately learned was pollen. The ear of the com is my favorite vegetable. 

 The stalk of the com is so tall and stately it reminds me greatly of oiu" fine 

 boys in the army and navy. I am sure every girl and boy enjoyed the lessons 

 as much as I did. I also send the absent children's thanks. 



Very sincerely, 

 H. D. Cooke School, Washington, D. C. Virginia Forward. 



My Garden 



Last year when the Food Administration asked our people to save food, I 

 decided to make a garden in my back yard, just as I have always done. 



My yard is forty-two feet long and ten feet wide, large enough to make a 

 good-sized garden. 



The first thing I did to prepare my garden was to spade the ground, and 

 remove the stones and other things that will do harm to the plants. Next I 

 raked it smooth, and made fiorrows in which to plant the seed. When all was 



