AMONG SCHOOL GARDENS 



first of all, perhaps, the dandelion and water 

 cress; at least, these are the best known. In 

 different sections of the country, diflferent weeds 

 maybe utilized. In old New England many were 

 used that are still used occasion- 

 ally. The introduction of, and 

 great improvement in our now 

 common vegetables relegated the 

 weeds to an obscurity out of 

 which, today, several have been 

 brought by the customs of dif- 

 ferent nationalities among our 

 poorer people. 



A school garden should strive, 

 particularly in the cities, to in- 

 troduce as varied a dietary as 

 possible, by teaching the use of 

 all garden greens and by calling 

 attention to the edible ones 

 among the weeds. Among these 

 are milkweed, which offers in its 

 young and tender shoots mate- 

 rial for salads. These shoots 

 preserved in layers of salt until 

 winter time, shaken free of it 

 and rinsed, will give greens for 

 the pot. This use is common 

 still in parts of New England. As a pot herb 

 also may be used that scourge of the garden, 



* From Bailey's Cyclopedia of Horticulture. By permission of 

 the Macmillan Co. 



206 



Plantain 

 Flowering spike of 

 common plantain. 

 Broad leaved plan- 

 tain or hen-bread.* 



