LITTLE STUDIES IN COOPERATION 41 



The girls dug trenches for the seeds ; they followed the strings in dig- 

 ging. A prepared chart gave them the necessary knowledge in regard 

 to depth of planting. 



After the seeds had been planted, most of the girls mulched and culti- 

 vated the beds. Every one was pleased with the rapid progress of those 

 gardens. 



Each girl took care of her own bed in regard to mulching, watering, 

 weeding, etc. Each girl also took care of the path on the side of the 

 garden nearest the school. 



The tool committee took care of all the garden implements whenever 

 the whole section worked together. When only two or three girls worked, 

 each was held responsible for the tools which she used. 



Simultaneously with the work on the individual beds, the work on the 

 observation bed was carried on. The bed was spaded, raked, and hoed ; 

 the large stones were taken out, and the soil was sifted. We planned to 

 plant tomatoes in half the bed, and devote the other half to experiments 

 in mulching and depth of planting. Later we changed our plans. We 

 planted half the bed with tomatoes and cabbages. The other half 

 \je planted with asters and geraniums. The chief benefit we derived 

 from this bed was practice in transplanting ; all the plants were trans- 

 planted into the observation bed, and the girls were able to watch 

 their progress. 



The garden committee supervised all the work on the individual beds. 

 If any garden seemed to need care, its owner was notified at once. In 

 the general work, such as straightening the paths, and work on the obser- 

 vation bed, the committee tried to apportion the work evenly, so that 

 each girl should have an opportunity to do something for the section as 

 a whole. 



When school was about to close, each girl selected one week of vaca- 

 tion, in which she agreed to take care of the gardens of the section. Each 

 girl, after visiting the gardens, sent a postal to Miss W. telling her of the 

 work she had done during her visit. The plan worked very well; at the 

 end of the vacation Section Five's plot was in very good condition. 



The reason for the smoothness of the section's work was the fact that 

 the girls were so united ; on the whole they were very cooperative. Of 

 course some had the interests of the class at heart in a greater degree 

 than others ; that is to be expected. But they all worked hard ; and 

 it was the harmonious working of the girls with their committees and ' 

 Miss W. that made the work succeed. 



