274 NATURE-STUDY 



does not harden the surface so much, and the change of 

 temperature is not so harmful to the plants. Watering is 

 needed more in sandy and porous earth. Loosening the soil 

 by frequent tillage is often better than watering. That is 

 what is meant by "watering with a hoe or a rake." A 

 mulch is thus formed that keeps in the moisture. 



Care During Vacation: This is the most serious prob- 

 lem with our American school gardens. Our summer 

 vacations are so long that there is great danger that the 

 garden will perish from neglect. An effort should be made 

 to get some one to look after it once in a while during the 

 summer. The janitor of the school often takes pride in 

 the garden, the lawn beds or borders, and will see that they 

 are kept in condition. Often children in the neighborhood 

 of the school may be got to take care of the garden during 

 the summer. They should be given the flowers and summer 

 crops as a reward. Yet I have seen country school gardens 

 doing fairly well and looking pretty during the summer 

 months, when they were left to shift for themselves. A last 

 thorough weeding may be given at the close of school, and 

 then, if the summer is not too dry and hot, the garden will 

 come out in a fairly good condition after all. Of course it 

 will be overgrown with weeds, and the plants will sprawl 

 over each other for lack of training; yet by carefully pulling 

 up or hoeing between the rows, and by cutting out with 

 shears the weeds in the rows, pruning the plants, tying to 

 stakes, and other "sprucing up" the garden will still be 

 very presentable, and be very useful in furnishing bouquets, 

 etc., for the school. In fact, a neglected garden may be 

 made to furnish some excellent lessons in the study of weeds, 

 overcrowding, insect effects, etc. So I would urge the 



