AMONG SCHOOL GARDENS 



the plants, and it is as effective as either in loosen- 

 ing the soil and uprooting the weeds. The child 

 at the end of the short cultivating stick is much 

 nearer to the ground than when using the long- 

 handled tool. He can and will at close range take 

 far more interest in noticing color and form and the 

 differences in both whether in weeds or in plants; 

 for example, the similarities and dissimilarities 

 between the weed purslane and its cousin the 

 flowering portulaca; between the grass blade and 

 the blade of corn; between the redweed and the 

 tiny seedlings of the beet. 



The wheelbarrow is for general and large use. 

 For daily weeding in the individual plot, each 

 child, or every two children, may have a basket, 

 or better, a small wooden box (or a soap box cut 

 in two) with hoop handles attached. In this 

 they should carry the weeds from their gardens to 

 the compost heap. In large gardens where the 

 paths are wide enough, children may be taught 

 to bury the weeds, but this custom is better among 

 the older children. The buried weed helps to 

 fill up hollows and supplies humus to the soil 

 when, in the future, paths and plots change 

 places in an occasional rearrangement of the 

 garden. 



From lathing can be made large labels, stakes, 

 plot markers, root cages and racks. Two culti- 

 vating sticks can be made for each child, one 

 bearing his name or plot number to stand at the 

 head of his bed when not otherwise needed. 



,36 



