8 CHILDREN'S GARDENS 



the attention of many people, is a striking illustration 

 of one of the many points on which a general enlight- 

 enment would be of immense economic value. 



That man's energy is produced quite as much from 

 the air he breathes, as from the food he eats and 

 that as he reduces the amount, or quality of the air 

 he can breathe, so he reduces the amount of energy at 

 his disposal, is a fact the public should know. Not as 

 an interesting bit of news, but as a vital law of Nature, 

 which it is sacrilegious to break. The child's experi- 

 ments in the Garden in learning the needs of his plants 

 will give him this knowledge, which he will apply to 

 himself. 



Good food. In the homes of poverty, there is 

 often a waste of food, because of lack of knowledge. 

 Money and labor are spent for food of low nutritive 

 value. Ignorance of food values may bring poverty 

 and surely increases it. What a valuable aid in the 

 relief of poverty will come from a widespread instruc- 

 tion about garden crops and their uses. More food 

 will be available. The instruction if given in the gar- 

 den, while raising the vegetables, will never be lost, 

 but at once begin to better the living of the well-to- 

 do, and perhaps keep off starvation in the time of need. 



Happiness is a state of mind to be induced by work- 

 ing in a healthy environment, at work which holds the 

 interest and results in product of value to the worker 

 and the community ; stimulates his intelligence, adds to 

 his knowledge, ministers to his desire for beauty, and 

 increases his reverence for the Creator. 



