IN VACATION AND TERM TIME 



plan is different. Not so much attention is 

 given to nature study. Easy, graded, outdoor 

 lessons are given in horticulture and in some 

 of the work in the greenhouse, together with 

 the budding, grafting, and transplanting that 

 can be done in the tree section, grapery and 

 small fruit areas. The director, the superintend- 

 ent of grounds and the assistant teachers have 

 the work in charge. There is a progressive 

 scheme of planting. The first year, the seeds are 

 selected. The boys of the third and fourth years 

 are allowed considerable latitude in the selection 

 of their crops.* 



With such gardens as these three may be classed 

 the many others which hold the child by the ap- 

 peal to what he can make. The older boys from 

 twelve to sixteen are past the age to play at being 

 farmers. They want work and a relatively large 

 area of crops to show for it. They are willing to 

 work if they can have returns that seem worth 

 while either as a frequent contribution to the 

 family table or as a sum total represented by so 

 much cash at the end of the summer. Experi- 

 ence teaches that from a business point of view, 

 the plot should be at least 8 x lo feet if the child 

 farmer is to make any profit, while such a garden 

 would require at least three half-hours a week for 

 cultivation. The older boys, if they can give the 

 time to it, want plots at least lo x 20 feet and 

 better 10 x 30 feet. The rule that goes into effect 



♦ See Appendix A, Note 17. 

 225 



" OF THE '^ 



UNIVERSITY 



