AMONG SCHOOL GARDENS 



third grades, estimates the cost at 37I cents 

 per plot. A garden of an acre on the fertile soil 

 of one of our rich western states, which required 

 considerable grading and which paid its instructor 

 1 1 00 for the vacation work, furnished eight class 

 plots and 90 individual ones at a cost of about 

 $500 for the first year. Its little farms returned 

 from I2.50 to I5.00 each. Another garden in the 

 same state having 400 individual plots, 4x10 feet, 

 and 25 class or sample plots, costs I475 per season, 

 including its proportional part of the salary paid 

 for a regular instructor in agriculture, and also 

 gives from each little plot over $5.00 worth of 

 vegetables. In the less fertile east, I650 covered 

 the cost of 75 plots, 10 X 20 feet, yielding in the 

 second year average crops of $4.00 value. 



Here is a detailed estimate for the first year of a 

 school garden, one section of which replaced a 

 rubbish heap on an unsightly vacant lot in a good 

 residential section of an Ohio town. The work 

 required from the instructors was during the hours 

 from 8 to 10 a. m.; and that from children in each 

 division was two to four hours per week. A fee 

 of 25 cents was charged each child. The work 

 was started under the direction of a special teacher, 

 assisted by the grade teachers. It was continued 

 through vacation under the direction of the super- 

 intendent assisted by the janitor, and completed 

 under the direction of the building principal. 

 The garden was divided into four sections: East 

 (individual beds 5 x 24 feet) ; West (7 x 23 feet) ; 



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