children's herbariums. 205 



Ayer and Reading. Unfortunately the gardens at Ayer were not 

 as well kept up as might be desired, though some were very nice; 

 here again the dry weather discouraged the young gai'deners. In 

 Reading the home gardens are encouraged by the Woman's Club 

 and some very prettily gotten up reports were sent in. A larger 

 number entered than were reports received which brings out an 

 important point, namely, that a local organization can sift out the 

 best reports from those entered for our prizes and thus save us a 

 good deal of trouble; it also helps as they are often better judges 

 of the gardens. We want to see a great increase in this work the 

 coming year and feel that our prizes are sufficiently large to attract 

 competitors. It is impossible for the committee to visit a very 

 large number of home gardens, but if those which are the best in 

 anv locality are selected, the chances of visiting them increase 

 and in this way the children are encouraged. 



Several letters from home garden prize winners follow. 



Children's Herbariums. 



Owing to the great number of herbarium sheets exhibited 

 during 1904 it was necessary to limit the number acceptable 

 from any one child. As a result of this better sheets were brought 

 in, though fewer in number. While in 1904 there were 2316 spec- 

 imens received bat 1815 were awarded prizes. This year only 

 989 were sent and 780 accepted. Of the 201 rejected 148 were 

 improperly labeled so that had our rules been carried out by the 

 competitors comparatively few Avould have been rejected. We 

 were also enabled to vary .the amount of our awards according 

 to the value of the sheets which was impossible last year owing 

 to the number of sheets accepted and the lack of funds. 



The exhibition this year was held in the large hall, on account of 

 the Children's Garden Conference in the lecture hall on Saturday 

 morning. It occupied two-thirds of the hall and was well staged. 

 An exhibit of evergreens from the Chrysanthemum Show added 

 greatly to the appearance of the hall. Prize cards were put on 

 the exhibits at the opening on Friday morning and we believe that 

 the awards were in every way satisfactory to the children. 



