ITS FLORA AND FAUNA. 



esting water-plants must not be forgotten. The influ- 

 ence of the school garden will increase just in propor- 

 tion as the knowledge of our home plants, and those 

 that can be made home plants by being acclimated, is 

 extended. 



And not merely the knowledge of the home flora, as 

 far as it can be brought within the sphere of the school 

 garden, but of a portion of our fauna that is of the 

 lower forms of animal life should be kept in view. The 

 garden and its surroundings give abundant opportunity 

 for the knowledge and observation of the insect world 

 and its interesting transformations. If it is possible to 

 have a little basin in the garden, or if water is near at 

 hand, there is open to the teacher a rich source of in- 

 formation upon the remarkable lower insect world of 

 the water. And as the flowers among plants, so stand 

 the birds among animals, nearest to the heart of chil- 

 dren. In large school gardens the thorn hedges afford 

 protection to the singing birds, and hedges in the neigh- 

 borhood must serve the purpose for the small school 

 gardens. 



PRACTICAL OBJECT LESSONS. 



Not the school room but the school garden will spread 

 correct views upon the subject of our animals. The 

 future husbandman and gardener, and the future forester, 

 will desire to know the friends and enemies which those 

 denizens of meadow, field and wood as represented in 

 the school garden, possess in the animal world. The 

 hedgehog, for example, will be allowed to dwell undis- 

 turbed in the garden ; the toad, at present purchased 

 by the English gardeners, v/ill be allowed in the school 



