PREFACE. 



K. (or Royal Imperial) Ministry of Instruction received 

 " The School Garden " for the teachers' library of the 

 public schools, and required of the normal schools the 

 adoption of 'the practical hints given in the pamphlet. 

 In 1875, the Ministry of Agriculture required the ad- 

 ministrators of public property, public foresters, and the 

 specially rich Greek Oriental Religious Fund in Buko- 

 wina, to further the founding of school gardens, which 

 requisition already bears fruit. The K. K. Ministry of 

 Instruction has repeatedly granted money to the State 

 Institutions in favor of school gardens. The Ministry 

 of the Interior has also made the K. K. governments 

 cognizant of the bearing upon the welfare of the people 

 and the country of the systematic founding of school 

 gardens as explained by the author. 



The agitation for the popular idea of the school garden 

 in Austria has a wide field before it, but the prospect is 

 very favorable. The class of noble landed proprietors 

 has been gained over in most places. For example, the 

 business agent of his highness Duke Albrecht has prom- 

 ised his co-operation in the founding of school gardens 

 upon the numerous domains of this imperial prince, as 

 soon as the teachers show a corresponding ability to do 

 it. In Galicia a very energetic district magistrate has 

 excited the activity of the nobility in his district in a 

 very decided manner. The K. K. Society of Husband- 

 men in Vienna is ready to promote the interests of 

 school gardens in Lower Austria. 



When the normal school of Austria and Hungary 

 shall earnestly, with insight and circumspection, pro- 

 mote the action of the highest boards of instruction, the 

 most important and most indispensable step will have 

 been taken to make the school garden, with all the bless- 



