16 CHILDREN'S GARDENS 



heavier and heavier. In fact, it may take four times 

 as much strength the second way as it did the first 

 way. Or one boy doing it right can do as much as 

 four boys doing it wrong. 



If he looks for the operation of these laws in each 

 step of his work, he will soon discover a means greatly 

 to enhance the amount and quality of his spading with 

 the strength he has. And this may change a difficult 

 task to an easy one, or an unpleasant task to a pleasant 

 one, or an apparently impossible task to a possible one. 



Think of what such a conception may mean to a 

 boy as he faces the world. He will say, " There is a 

 method of doing things well and that method is based 

 on fundamental laws. If I learn what they are and 

 use them it will make my life much more happy and 

 successful." He may not say these words, but he will 

 absorb the general idea and spirit and it will soon 

 show in his work. 



2. To teach that a small point will enter more 

 easily than a large one. The corner of a spade will 

 enter the earth when the ground is too hard to admit 

 the whole edge at once, and a spade moved sidewise 

 under pressure, will also enter more easily than when 

 pushed straight down. From the doing and observing 

 of such things one can learn how to accomplish many 

 tasks more easily, even if one never learns the scientific 

 theories regarding a wedge, and a cutting edge. The 

 knowledge can be applied to mental tasks as well as 

 physical ones. 



3. To teach the value of keeping the back straight 



