SCHOOL AND HOME GROUNDS. 355 



cabbage-plants, potato hills, or some dwarf 

 beans may be put in. 



The experimental garden makes possible many 

 lessons in nature. From the plants here grown 

 the child may gain an idea of the entire life his- 

 tory of them : seeds, roots, stems, leaves, flowers, 



FIG. 132. FOURTH-GRADE CHILDREN CARING FOR THE LAWN 

 AROUND THE SCHOOL GARDEN. 



and fruit may be studied. Ample opportunity 

 will be had for the study of " our friends, the 

 birds," and of our insect friends and foes. 



The children should compare their gardens 

 with those of their neighbors, and be led to see 

 their mistakes, and, if possible, the reason for 

 them, so they may obtain better results next 

 time. Thus, while training the powers of ob- 

 servation and comparison (and deductive reason- 

 ing in the case of older students), the children 



