THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



211 



cheerfully given. 



The general movement was begun last fall, when 

 the Friday following Thanksgiving was proclaimed a 

 holiday by the mayor for the purpose of allowing the 

 school children to do their fall planting. It was esti- 

 mated that some ninety thousand school pupils in the 

 city and county took part in planting. Climatic condi- 

 tions are such in southern California that there is no 

 "closed season" for growing things, the winter months 

 comprising what is known as the rainy season. The 

 annual normal precipitation is 15.72 inches, which is 

 distributed over six to seven months, approximately 

 equal to the same period of time in the Mississippi 

 Valley states. 



A large amount of seed was furnished free to 

 the children expressing their intention of entering their 

 home gardens in the prize contest. Enough packets 

 were distributed to plant an area of three million 

 square feet, or approximately five square feet to every 

 man, woman and child in the city. 



Through the co-operation of seed houses and 

 nurserymen a comprehensive pamphlet was issued 

 under the title "Home Garden Manual." Copies were 

 given away to all who applied for them, whether child 

 or adult. The dealers also agreed to furnish seeds at 

 reduced prices 

 for home plant- 

 ing. The child 

 taking advantage 

 of this had to 

 show an identi- 

 fi c a t i o n card 

 signed by its 

 teacher. 



The winter 

 gardens in 

 southern Cali- 

 f o r n i a present 

 much the same 

 problem to the 

 little folk as in 

 other sections of 

 the country 

 where the rain- 

 fall is depended upon to supply all the moisture re- 

 quired. But with the coming of the dry season, which 

 begins usually in May and extends into October or 

 November, it is necessary to use irrigation. The chil- 

 dren are taught the conservation of moisture and the 

 difference between wetting the plants with a sprinkler 

 and really giving the roots the water needed. 



The trench method of irrigation is generally used. 

 Ridge and furrow planting in companion rows is en- 

 couraged, so as to most readily permit of this form of 

 watering and easy cultivation. In two of the schools 

 experiments are being made with the Skinner system 

 of automatic sprinkling, though no decision has been 

 reached. 



In connection with the various forms of irrigation 

 taught attention is paid to dry farming methods. The 

 manner of preparing the ground for this form of agri- 

 culture is explained. 



While sprinkling is not encouraged, in some in- 

 stances it is necessary to use this form of supplying 

 moisture to the gardens. On these occasions the 

 youngsters are impressed with the importance of thor- 

 ough soaking. The boys are put in charge of the irri- 



A school garden in the residence district, as it appeared late this spring. 



gating and held responsible for results. They are al- 

 lowed to leave classes to change the sprinklers as 

 needed, they having the option of when to move them. 

 Water has been piped to the garden plots in most of 

 the schools. 



The enthusiasm of the children is kept well up 

 through exceptional individual successes. Keen rivalry 

 exists to grow the earliest vegetables or the largest. 

 When one little gardener shows proof of a properly 

 and well-cared for home plot others quickly investigate 

 the methods used. One part of the school work is to 

 interchange ideas. It is effective because the child who 

 has done well is pleased to tell of it, and the children 

 learn from each other without the restraint that always 

 must exist to a degree between teacher and pupil. 



Many instances have developed where the child 

 with its home garden actually has added to the family 

 income, beside supplying the table with fresh products. 

 One little girl of nine helped her family materially 

 through selling her garden truck. A boy of ten has an 

 acre planted in the suburbs. He employs other boys to 

 help him. The business instinct has been developed in 

 numerous instances to the point where boys form part- 

 nerships in gardening that are highly profitable. A 

 girl of eight was first to raise ripe vegetables after the 



fall planting. 

 She proudly 

 took a basket of 

 onions, beets 

 and other prod- 

 ucts to her 

 teacher, who in 

 turn sent them 

 to the Chamber 

 o f Commerce, 

 which maintains 

 a large perma- 

 nent exhibit of 

 agri cultural 

 products. This 

 was in Febru- 

 ary. 



The enthus- 

 iasm of the chil- 

 dren was communicated to parents who previously had 

 taken no interest in vocational training in the schools, 

 especially in the garden work. Their interest aroused, 

 the adults not only aided the children but themselves 

 took active part in cultivating the ground about their 

 homes. 



It is believed that the impetus given to school and 

 home gardening by the beautifying campaign will be 

 maintained. The main purpose of the school work is 

 to give the boys and girls intelligent and sympathetic 

 interest in those phases of the labor which contribute 

 to the great problem of food, clothing and shelter, 

 which must necessarily be the fundamental occupation 

 of mankind. Gardening places the child in a most 

 wholesome environment and furnishes the best sort 

 of physical exercise and relaxation from book study. 

 It gives both the child and the teacher fine opportunity 

 for self expression. 



The ethical value of the garden work is considered 

 one of its chief claims to place in the curriculum. The 

 children unconsciously learn orderliness, the value of 

 property and labor and that they must pay in some 

 form for what they consume. 



