178 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



In arranging the program for the conference a logical treatment 

 of today's needs was undertaken and we believe successfully car- 

 ried out. Secretary INIartin spoke admirably on the educational 

 value of school gardens. With their necessity in public schools so 

 ably pointed out Professor Waugh and Principal Baldwin con- 

 sidered the education of school garden teachers. A school super- 

 intendent feels the pulse of the public and Mr. Marsh spoke on 

 the relation of children's gardens to the public. We were very 

 much pleased to have Mr. Henry G. Parsons of the School Farm, 

 New York City, present at the meeting. He spoke very enthu- 

 siastically of the work they are doing and the discussion which 

 followed was most energetic. Altogether the conference was 

 a great success. 



The meeting was presided over by your chairman, who, after 

 reviewing the objects of the conference and discussing briefly the 

 work of the year, announced the prizes awarded for school gardens, 

 school grounds, and children's home gardens. The new prize 

 circular for 1907 was also discussed and distributed. The addresses 

 are given in connection with this report. 



School Gardens. 



When the entries for school garden prizes were in, June 1, there 

 were found to be twenty-three which was a gain of eleven over 

 last year. The competition was divided into two classes, those 

 gardens which had entered before, and new gardens. Tliis was 

 "tried as an experiment, hoping thus to give the newer gardens 

 greater opportunity for the prizes. This, however, will not be 

 done again as we expressly state in our new circular that the 

 awards will be based on Avhat the gardens are really accomplishing 

 under the existing conditions and not on mere size and fine feathers. 



As a whole the gardens this year were most satisfactory. While 

 some were poorly planned and apparently carelessly managed 

 the majority showed a decided improvement. We are now even 

 more impressed than last year that while there are many other 

 things needed by a school garden teacher, a thorough understand- 

 ing of gardening and a love for it are of greatest importance. For 



