REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON SCHOOL GARDENS, ETC. 309 



fine growths, owing to the unusual moisture of the season. Six 

 species of native asters have been introduced into the girls' yard 

 spontaneously by seed, and have made vigorous growths. Single 

 plants springing from seed scattered at random blossom much more 

 profusely than clumps of two or more years' standing. Thorough 

 division of clumps is essential to the vigor of the plant and the 

 production of blossoms. A few plants have died out, but most 

 of the plants originally introduced have increased greatly and 

 might aid in establishing other gardens. There are now over one 

 hundred and fifty species of native wild plants in the garden, not 

 to speak of a great variety of hardy cultivated plants. 



The garden has been used for observation more this year than 

 in any previous year, composite flowers and ferns receiving the 

 most attention. The pupils of the last graduating class studied 

 minutely fifteen species and varieties of ferns, and twenty-two of 

 these pupils introduced ferns into their own gardens at home. 

 The fernery in the angle of the school building on the north side 

 was visited many times for the comparison and identification of 

 species. Many kinds of seed vessels of flowers, as well as the 

 flowers themselves, have furnished excellent material for drawing, 

 especially with pen and ink. 



The influence of this work has been felt in the preparation of 

 herbariums, a majority of the exhibitors at the last Herbarium 

 Exhibition having enjoyed the advantages of this garden. Il is 

 hoped that the educative value of the garden may be shown by 

 larger numbers of pupils from year to year. 



In comparison with European countries, especially France, 

 Germany, Austria, Sweden, and Russia, school-garden privileges 

 in this country are exceedingly limited. Since 1877 every public 

 school in Berlin, a large city in Prussia, has been regularly sup- 

 plied with plants for study every week, elementary schools receiv- 

 ing specimens of four different species and secondary schools six. 

 During the summer at six o'clock in the morning two large wagons 

 start from the school gardens, loaded with cuttings packed and 

 labelled for the different schools. Tbe daily papers regularly 

 announce what plants may be expected, and teachers consult with 

 the gardeners as to what ought to be sown or planted. Teachers 

 take their classes into the school gardens for lessons in botany, 

 and are aided by the gardeners who cut the specimens. 



Still more significant is the recent establishment of many school 



