THE SCHOOL GARDEN 293 



Connected with this is the matter of Exhibits of the gar- 

 den products and related work. Soon after school begins 

 in the fall let there be a fair or exhibition of the plants raised 

 at home in competitive culture. Have the vegetables of 

 the school garden neatly displayed. Have bouquets of 

 flowers from the school garden artistically arranged. Util- 

 ize the window-boxes and the potted plants for ornamental 

 effects. Other nature work might be displayed at the same 

 time — art work based on nature-study, written work, note- 

 books, charts, etc. Also have collections of weeds from the 

 garden, with descriptions and remedies, herbaria of flowers, 

 insect collections, to show economic relations, life histories 

 of insects, cages with insects, etc. The patrons of the 

 school would be much interested in all this. Show them 

 what has been done in the garden. Write up the event in 

 the papers, take photographs of the exhibit and also of the 

 garden, etc. All these things encourage the children, and 

 serve to interest the public in the work of the school. 



I suggest that the older grades be allowed to exhibit some 

 of their garden and horticultural work at the county fair 

 with exhibitors' privileges. 



Interest in Agriculture may be aroused in the older 

 children by letting them read books, journals, etc., on the 

 subject. We have now many good books on elementary 

 agriculture. Put these into the hands of the pupils. A 

 good garden or farm journal would be a useful addition to 

 the school periodical list. The farmers' bulletins of the United 

 States Department of Agriculture should be utilized in this 

 work. Encourage the boys to send for them, and get the 

 bulletins from the State Agricultural Schools and Experiment 

 Stations, and the catalogues from these institutions and from 



