GARDENING 145 



57. Gardening. 



We have been learning about plants and their needs 

 for some time as they are most important, since all life 

 depends upon them. Their needs have been learned in 

 the various topics under light, heat, air, water, and 

 food. We have seen how the soil must be treated in 

 order to supply the needs of the plant in the best manner, 

 and to preserve the water which is in the soil. Now we 

 should put our knowledge into practice, for that is its 

 real test, and by experimenting we may strengthen our 

 knowledge, and also increase it. This experimenting 

 should be performed in the school garden, or in the home 

 garden, or what is best of all, we should put into practice 

 what we have learned about plants both in the school 

 garden and in the home garden. 



The selection of the place for the garden is very 

 important. It should be near enough to the school to be 

 convenient, and if the land has a slight slope toward the 

 south it will be the best location for a garden in which 

 to raise some of the early crops. Why sloping? Why 

 toward the south? Having selected a good location what 

 should be done to the soil before planting the seeds? 

 The pulverizing of the soil should be done to a depth of 

 at least six inches and eight inches would be better. 



Even if the land has not been used as a garden in 

 former years, it is better to put on some fertilizer at the 

 same time as you are breaking up the top of the soil. The 

 very best fertilizer is barnyard manure. A good way 

 in which to apply the manure is to sprinkle a very thin 

 layer of it on the soil and then work it beneath the sur- 

 face with a spade or fork. Barnyard manure, in addition 

 to being an almost perfect food for plants, has the great 



Elem. Sci. 10 



