children's garden conference. 237 



out on a New Hampshire fann where his experience and working judg- 

 ment in raising vegetables will be of ser\-ice to him and his knowledge of 

 hens increased on acquaintance. 



In passing along the streets other gardens were observed and com- 

 mented upon; sometimes the boys had to be restrained from calling upon 

 the owners of such gardens in their search for definite, usable knowledge. 

 Ignorance of what others are doing sometimes causes mistakes and pre- 

 vents the stimulus of a helpful feeling of rivalry. We were helped in this 

 matter, for the children often shouted across the wall of the adjoining 

 groimds to ask the interested gardener what kind of beans he planted, or 

 if he sprinkled his rose bushes with whale-oil soap water as we did. Every- 

 thing pertaining to our work was eagerly discussed by the children while 

 reviewing what they had learned with the director. In summing up the 

 advantages of gardening, one boy spoke better than he knew when he 

 said, "It is such a hopeful job!" A stimulus for effort was found in 

 recognizing the child's indi\'iduality in production. If Henry raised a 

 mammoth cabbage he had the credit, not the Orphans' Home on Taber St. 



Our garden was divided into individual plots and the common or family 

 garden in which all the children worked, also a plot for experiment. 



At planting time the most attractive bears and wolves of Ernest Thomp- 

 son Seton were neglected for the more fascinating catalogues of plants 

 and seeds. In each child's plot he had a choice of seeds for flowers, with 

 six kinds of the smaller vegetables, those of the perishable kind, also carrots, 

 beets, and onions. 



In the common garden we had large plots of the same kinds of vegetables 

 and various kinds of beans, pease, com, cucmnbers, tomatoes, melons, 

 squash, cabbages, and parsnips. 



Of the latter several bushels remain in the ground over winter. An 

 abundance of flowers, selected as to height, bordered the walks and sides 

 of the garden, with fifty feet of scarlet geranimxis fronting the street. A 

 small hot-bed gave us a few early vegetables. In spite of late planting 

 v. e had fairly early vegetables in plenty, and by a rotation of planting kept 

 up a constant yield. The keen enjojanent of the children in supplj-ing the 

 Home with vegetables was not the least of the benefits. The lawns, our 

 "grass gardens," were not in good condition as a result of a shallow soil 

 in which plantain had choked out the weak, short-rooted grass. Another 

 year it will be necessary to change the fertilizer and sow the hardy, strong- 

 growing blue-grass and red-top seed, that endure drought and shade. 

 An extensive addition has been made to the Home grovmds this year, 

 including the garden plot which has pre\iously been loaned for that pur- 

 pose. A few sycamore trees were set out, also rose bushes, syringas, and 

 clematis. It is probable that choice deciduous and hardy evergreen trees 

 and shrubs will be planted in the new grounds. This will be of value in 

 supplementing the study of trees as included in the nature work of the 

 schools. In making our gardens we made many friends. Much interest 

 was shown in our efforts and in the growi^h of the garden from 900 to 9000 



