4 Gardening 
curricula because experience has shown that the pupils 
absorb these values. It is closely related to the pupil’s 
present life, so that he understands the significance of 
what he learns and does; and it correlates as few studies 
do with the various subjects of school interest. Much of 
the ordinary work in nature study can be taught in 
gardening in a manner which gives additional interest 
and purpose to the work. The daily experiences afford 
excellent subject matter for language exercises, and there 
is opportunity for the application of problems in arith- 
metic and for practice in honest business methods. 
The history of garden vegetables involves knowledge 
regarding geography, climate, and the climatic needs of 
the various vegetables. Gardening also teaches much 
regarding the principles of breeding and improving 
plants and may afford practice in such breeding. 
In the larger schools, training in canning and drying 
garden produce and in the construction and use of the 
special storage rooms and cellars can be given with the 
coéperation of teachers in domestic science and in manual 
training. In most cases, however, teachers and parents 
must lead in these activities. 
Naturally, the simpler aspects of gardening are best 
learned in the lower grades. As pupils advance in age, 
more is learned. The vista of knowledge is ever widen- 
ing. There are constantly new discoveries to be made. 
There are constantly the exercise of judgment and the 
practical application of knowledge suited to stimulate 
and tax the child’s growing mental powers. 
Thus the pupil can follow the subject progressively 
through the grades without undertaking work too diffi- 
