476 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



teachers and scholars were very enthusiastic and interested. Care of 

 cattle, horses, farm buildings, gardening, insects, birds, animals, trees, 

 flowers, etc., were studied and home records kept. " Out of Doors 

 Books " and weather charts were very popular, one" of which I am 

 sending as a sample. This was so well received by the schools, and the 

 committee was so well pleased with the results, that the to^vn voted 

 to appropriate $350 for the school gardens and nature study for the 

 schools. This gives the supervisor a strenuous, poorly paid year, with 

 no vacation whatever since December. Other special teachers are paid 

 the same amount for salary alone, thirty-eight weeks' schooling, with 

 eight rooms, once a month in each room. The nature teacher reaches 

 every room in town, with one exception, every week, then gardens the 

 rest of the year. This year we have planned for a vacation in the win- 

 ter months. 



We had 5 school gardens and over 200 home gardens. For the year 

 they averaged the best since the starting of school gardens. A pine 

 nursery was planted at the Moors School, W. P. Wharton giving in- 

 structions as well as seeds. It is cared for by the children. About 

 100 little pines are growing under a frame made by one of the boys. 



The school garden at Groton was well kept and handsome. Twenty 

 children attended well all summer. Miss Gladys Mason and Miss 

 Elizabeth Blood assisted in this garden. Their reports have not been 

 received as yet. 



The West Groton school garden was very successful. The location 

 was much better than last year. 



The scout garden at West Groton was very prolific and handsome. 

 This was planted the last of June, and the first frost came the first 

 of September. The vegetables matured and grew very rapidly, — 

 radishes in eleven days. Of the pumpkins and squashes many weighed 

 over 50 pounds apiece; the other things were in proportion. Cauli- 

 flower is still heading, — 100 good plants; lettuce is still fine; 2,000 

 cabbage headed well. Over $100 worth was raised this summer in 

 three months on this one-quarter of an acre by 60 school garden workers. 



The school gardens won first prize in flowers and third in vegetables 

 at Horticultural Hall in Boston. The scout gardens won first at the 

 Clinton Fair; the Groton and West Groton gardens, second at Clinton; 

 the scout gardens, second on squash at Clinton. The children's exhibit 

 at the Groton Fair was the best ever held. They were arranged on 

 tables outside the hall. Money prizes, gold pins, buttons and ribbons 

 were given at that time. The judges were William P. Wharton, Miss 

 Susan P. Hill and Miss Bertha Bixby. 



The best growth of potatoes from the four sent by Amherst was 

 made in the scout gardens by Harvey Laurence. Many of the home 

 gardens were reported to me. The produce thus reported has a total 

 valuation of over $350. This does not include the larger areas. 



