104 



CA ^A DIA N HOR TIC UL TURIST. 



rich, sprightly flavor. The skin thick; 

 berries adhere tirmly to the peduncle. 

 The bunch is very large, compact, 

 shouldered, some clusters weighing 

 over twelve ounces. The vine is said 

 to be vigorous, and productive ; foli- 

 age large and healthy. The time of 



ripening is about with the Concord, 

 and it is a long keeper. 



We shall be pleased if the experi- 

 ence of Canadian fruit growers should 

 prove it to be what the description 

 leads us to expect, one of the best of 

 black grapes for dessert purposes. 



SCHOOL DECORATION. 



BY N. ROBERTSON, SUPERINTENDENT GOVERNMENT GROUNDS, OTTAWA. 



I WAS very much pleased with 

 some remarks that vere made by 

 members of your Fruit Growers' Asso- 

 ciation at its meeting in Ottawa, over 

 this subject. It is one that needs 

 stirring up. I happened to be placed 

 in a school in Scotland where School 

 Decoration was made one of the 

 principal features. When I look back 

 on the appearance of the school, now 

 many years ago, and compare it with 

 our present country schools, for to 

 them do my remarks most apply, it 

 makes one feel sad. Where the very 

 first branch of intellectual teaching 

 should be exemplified, what do we find 1 

 delapidated, untidy surroundings, where 

 tidiness and neatness should exist, and 

 make a lasting impression of tidy 

 habits adorning their future homes 

 through life. We are very apt to for- 

 get that those early impressions cling 

 to us with more tenacity than many 

 other circumstances in life, and have a 

 bearing in moulding our habits more 

 than those received at any other time. 

 They should not be placed on a level 

 with things we see, and do at more 

 mature age. 



Now I will give you a short synop- 

 sis of how this school decoration was 

 done at the school at which I was for- 

 tunate in being a scholar. It was situ- 

 ated sixteen miles from the city of 

 Aberdeen. Scotland, and called the Kem- 

 nay Academy (Kemnay being the 

 parish name). The teacher was a self- 

 made man and devoid of all formality 



of forms, which often become tedious 

 to children, as well as older persons. 

 Surrounding that school was the play- 

 ground, and the decoration and keep- 

 ing of it was made a means of profit 

 and pleasure in play hours. There were 

 about two acres of ground, which was 

 more than the general school allowance. 

 In what way he got this addition, I am 

 not ableto say, but suppose it must have 

 been through the generosity of the pro- 

 prietor who took a lively interest in ad- 

 vancing education. And well might he 

 be proud of the results, for I cannot 

 compare that school to anything less 

 than the appearance of a gentleman's 

 residence, and an ornament to his 

 estate. You can imagine the effect it 

 produced on those little hearts, enter- 

 ing such a place, made beautiful by 

 their own hands, for they planted and 

 kept it in order in their play hours, a 

 source of much pleasure to them. They 

 felt proud of such a school. 



Now, the very first objection that 

 will be raised against school decoration 

 will be expense, often a great barrier 

 to instruction, but here this objection 

 does not exist, for the children did the 

 work and furnished the material for 

 decoration. All the teacher had to 

 say was, " if you have any trees or 

 plants that you would like to see grow- 

 ing here bring them along and I will 

 find a place for them, provided there 

 are not too many of one kind." Numer- 

 ous were the memorial trees and shrubs 

 brought to that lawn. It is hardly 



