4 Gardening 



curricula because experience has shown that the pupils 

 absorb these values. It is closely related to the pupil's 

 present life, so that he understands the significance of 

 what he learns and does ; and it correlates as few studies 

 do with the various subjects of school interest. Much of 

 the ordinary work in nature study can be taught in 

 gardening in a manner which gives additional interest 

 and purpose to the work. The daily experiences afford 

 excellent subject matter for language exercises, and there 

 is opportunity for the application of problems in arith- 

 metic and for practice in honest business methods. 

 The history of garden vegetables involves knowledge 

 regarding geography, climate, and the climatic needs of 

 the various vegetables. Gardening also teaches much 

 regarding the principles of breeding and improving 

 plants and may afford practice in such breeding. 



In the larger schools, training in canning and drying 

 garden produce and in the construction and use of the 

 special storage rooms and cellars can be given with the 

 cooperation of teachers in domestic science and in manual 

 training. In most cases, however, teachers and parents 

 must lead in these activities. 



Naturally, the simpler aspects of gardening are best 

 learned in the lower grades. As pupils advance in age, 

 more is learned. The vista of knowledge is ever widen- 

 ing. There are constantly new discoveries to be made. 

 There are constantly the exercise of judgment and the 

 practical application of knowledge suited to stimulate 

 and tax the child's growing mental powers. 



Thus the pupil can follow the subject progressively 

 through the grades without undertaking work too cliffi- 



