SCHOOL GARDENS 



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quantitative work may be done in these grades, such as the 

 careful measurement of the corn plots to estimate the 

 fraction of an acre which they represent, the weighing of 

 ears to find the number required to make a bushel, the 

 number required to plant an acre, percentage of grain to the 

 ear, percentage of cob, etc. 



Propagation by means of cuttings may be begun in a 

 simple way by third-grade children, but in the seventh 

 grade a detailed study should be made of soft and hard- 

 wood cuttings, with the forming of callus, rooting, storing 

 of hard-wood cuttings, etc. 



In the eighth grade part of the work of the boys and 

 girls may be differentiated. The boys may work out 

 special problems in the culture of farm crops and vege- 

 tables, while the girls may plan and work out groups of 

 color schemes in the flower garden. 



This indicates briefly what work may be done in the 

 garden proper, but it does not indicate the various lines of 

 work which may radiate from it as a center. Instead of 

 studying insects, certain birds, weeds, and soils as isolated 

 topics, they may be studied in the garden in connection 

 with the plants to which they are biologically and econom- 

 ically related. This organization of material unifies and 

 increases its value from an educational standpoint. Indeed, 

 if the full purpose of the garden work is carried out, it 

 means more than the training of the hand in doing its part 

 of the work successfully and skillfully. It means a train- 

 ing of the eye to see things as they are, a training of the 

 mind to think logically and independently, to draw truthful 

 conclusions, and to recognize the dignity of this work. 



