BEGINNINGS AND AIMS 7 



members of canning clubs. One interest in the garden work 

 may, therefore, be the production of crops for some definite 

 purpose (Fig. 1). 



Home gardening and vacant lot gardening are often eon- 

 ducted with the products as the chief aim. But this does not 

 weaken nor destroy the many other objects of children's 

 gardens. A good example of the pursuit of gardening for the 

 money returns is found in Lincoln, Nebraska, where a chil- 

 dren's market was established in the summer of 1916. The 

 sales in this market on the Saturdays of June and July 

 totalled $338. Such returns greatly increased the interest in 

 the garden work (see frontispiece). 



The School Center. — Children's garden work should cen- 

 ter about the school. Teachers should start it whether it be 

 school gardening or home gardening. If there is a suitable 

 place available for a school garden let that be started first. 

 Then let the pupils start gardens at home also. 



The home gardens may be encouraged by starting compe- 

 titions in the growing of vegetables, fiowers, corn, potatoes and 

 other crops. Exhibits to be held in the fall may be announced 

 and planned in early spring. Perhaps prizes may be offered. 

 Such contests will help to keep up the interest in both the 

 home garden and the school garden through the whole sum- 

 mer. Let the exhibits be held at the school. Perhaps a 

 program my be offered in connection with the exhibit. In 

 some cases it may be well to charge a small admission at the 

 time the program is given. 



Garden exhibits may well be held in combination with 

 exhibits of manual training, sewing, cooking, drawing, pen- 

 manship, and other lines of school work. The more corre- 

 lation at such a time the better (see Chapter XXI). 



Garden clubs, including school children and others, may 

 be started by teachers. The school will become more and more 

 the community center for such interests (see Chapter XXI). 



Vacation Time. — If the work is well started and the 



