50 GARDENS AND THEIR MEANING 



permission can generally be obtained to take up the pavement. 

 Bricks are not such sacred things, and they weigh as nothing 

 in the balance with education. In case, however, any worthy 

 city fathers are inclined to hesitate, it may be remembered 

 that no voices in the community can be lifted in a more 

 stirring appeal than the children's own, provided they have 

 really set their hearts on having a garden. 



It is not to be denied that the ebb tide of opportunity has 

 positively been reached when gardeners are reduced to "farm- 

 ing it " on top of concrete. Thrifty little plots, it is true, have 

 sometimes been so constructed, and a promoter of garden 

 interests would not, of course, discourage even these. But 

 with such handicaps the prospect from the agricultural stand- 

 point is hardly good. Nevertheless it is claimed that the 

 market gardeners in the environs of Paris, famous the world 

 over for their skill, could successfully grow identical crops 

 above an asphalt pavement. This is news to cheer any 

 downcast heart. 



As soon as a community has once been really converted 

 to the idea of children's gardening, however, many an open 

 lot can be found which the owners will gladly turn over, at 

 least temporarily, to this public cause. Instances multiply to 

 show how frequently in the outlying sections of cities and 

 in the suburbs vacant land has been gratuitously offered for 

 school-gardening purposes. The nearer such a lot lies to the 

 school building, of course, the better. In a congested city 

 district it is often the custom to get permission to use some 

 tract of park land. The disadvantages of distance have been 

 largely overcome by arranging that the school children shall 

 go over to the park for their lessons, during the last half 

 hour of a session, on two days in the week. In a park there 

 is frequently some sort of shelter near at hand, where chil- 

 dren can keep their tools. 



