344 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The children entered into the spirit of the enterprise with enthu- 

 siasm, and volunteers were not lacking to take hold of any part of 

 the work. Tools were brought, the ground prepared, many seeds 

 and roots supplied, and the planting done by the boys, while twa 

 of the girls had their own gardens all to themselves, and displayed 

 much skill in arranging them. 



The garden contained : firsts the cereals — wheat, rye, oats, bar- 

 ley ; second^ seeds of the vegetables — cabbage, turnip, beet, parsnip, 

 carrot, and onion, to show their first year's growth ; third, the 

 roots of all these vegetables were planted to show their growth of 

 flowers and seeds. Peas and different varieties of beans were 

 planted. Some fifteen or twenty varieties of flower seeds, furnished 

 by the Committee, were also sown. 



Six large beds were also prepared in the front yard. The canna 

 bed contained about seventy cannas of different varieties, some of 

 which were given by the people of the vicinity, but most of them 

 were from the Fisher Brothers, of Montvale. The geranium bed 

 contained about fifty plants, most of which were brought by the 

 children. The other beds contained poppies, sunflowers, New 

 England asters, and the annual double asters. 



The children watched the growth of these plants with much in- 

 terest, and had opportunities for studying them in the garden, as 

 well as in their rooms. 



The results of this first trial were not what was anticipated, 

 owing, for the most part, to the lack of proper fertilizers, and the 

 dry season. But we are pleased with what was done, and shall 

 expect greater things as soon as we have the grounds graded so 

 that we can carry out our plans. 



W. E. C. Rich, Principal. 



PRIZES AND GRATUITIES AWARDED FOR CHILDREN'S 

 HERBARIUMS. 



Flowers. — First prize for one hundred and twenty-five 



specimens, George E. Nichols . . . . $5 00 



First prize for one hundred specimens, Lucy B. 



Foster • . . . 4 00 



Second prize for one hundred specimens, Ethel F. 



Wood 3 00 



