96 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



dening have voted to do what they can to carry out the principles 

 laid down by the essayist. They have visited and examined 

 school grounds, and in the first one visited they found in the 

 centre a place ten feet square, prepared for planting a tree in the 

 coming spring. A border around the yard will also be made 

 ready, and be filled with flowers. 



Mrs. H. L. T. Wolcott said it had often been supposed that an 

 attempt to improve school grounds would be met with the answer : 

 " It cannot be done ;" but she believed that if the}^ were prepared 

 and planted in good order, the boys as well as the girls would 

 care for them. She asked what protects the flowers in the Public 

 Garden, and expressed the belief that it is the children's love for 

 flowers. The cases of injury are few and exceptional ; children 

 will steal flowers sometimes, but so will women, and even a man 

 has been found guilty of it. If an expression of the sentiments 

 of this Society upon this subject went out to the public, its 

 influence might prove largely beneficial. Children accept the 

 facts of nature better than do grown people. Little children 

 should be taught more of those facts, and not be left so ignorant 

 of them as to accept as truth, many idle, fanciful whims that are 

 current among the uneducated. 



Francis H. Appleton thought every successful attempt to 

 improve school grounds and similar places should be reported for 

 the encouragement of those who may contemplate similar action. 

 He then gave an interesting account of a successful effort within 

 his cognizance. A chapel and a school-house stood near by in an 

 open field. By subscription, money enough was collected to buy 

 trees for the purposed planting, and last Arbor Day the young 

 people, thirty-five years of age and under, assembled, dug the 

 holes, and planted one hundred white pine trees on the north side 

 of the grounds and maples in front of the buildings. Most 

 of these trees are living and in good condition now. Such 

 improvements can be easily brought about in other places as well. 

 When in Austria, Mr. Appleton saw school yards having the rear 

 grounds shaded by trees, while at the sides and front there were 

 beds of seedling trees and shrubs in variety, or of flowers. 

 During recess the teachers mingled with the students and inter- 

 ested them in object lessons based upon these plants. 



William H. Hunt spoke of an instance in which permission was 

 obtained to plant trees in a school yard. The children subscribed 

 money for the purpose and the trees were planted. Teachers and 



