THE EXPENSE. 



55 



the programme for the school garden laid out there in 

 a manner worthy of imitation. Even Slavic peasants 

 can be warmed up if the right man undertakes to do it. 

 The circle of Mielec in West Galicia, fourteen square 

 miles in extent (a German mile is three English miles, 

 so this would be forty-two of our square miles), is think- 

 ing of laying out school gardens for each of its thirty- 

 five schools ; and the village of Zlotniki and Chrzastow, 

 besides the little ^city of Mielec, have already estab- 

 lished very extensive ones of a landscape character. 



THE QUESTION OF EXPENSE. 



The expense of these schemes is by no means so 

 large as one at a distance imagines, as soon as a suita- 

 ble, not too small territory, is to be had. The work 

 upon the land is often done by the citizens who offer 

 their services for handling and digging without price ; 

 and the more readily, because the first work is best 

 done late in the autumn when the farmers have free 

 time to give to it. Larger outlays grow in time by the 

 purchase of fruit trees, which, it is well known, soon 

 give compound interest. Almost all the trees, shrubs, 

 flowers and seeds are acquired without expense from 

 the gifts and exchanges of school gardens themselves. 

 Large landed proprietors, gardeners, foresters, lovers 

 of nature, and public spirited societies are ready and 

 pleased to forward such a public work by their gifts. 

 The royal imperial district chief, Eugen Beueszek, in 

 Mielec, understands all about stirring up enthusiasm 

 for schools. The communities there are erecting nu- 

 merous new school houses, precisely according to the 

 Austrian model school in the Exposition ; large landed 



