FO R TH E USE OF TEACHERS. 



No. 5. 



Leaflet 



On Nature Study. 



Designed for the Use of Teachers of 

 Public Schools. 



PREPARED BY THE 



FACULTY OF PURDUE UNIVERSITY. 



A CHILDREN'S GARDEN. 



By L. H. Bailey, 

 Professor of Horticulture in Cornell University. 



[Reprinted from a Cornell Leaflet by permission.] 



We want every school child in the State to grow a few plants this 

 summer. We want everyone of them to learn something of why and 

 how plants grow, tmd the best and surest way to learn is to grow the 

 plants and to watch them carefully. We want everyone to become in- 

 terested in everything that lives and grows. It does not matter so very 

 much just what kinds of plants one grows, as it does that he grows 

 something and grows it the best that he knows how. We want the chil- 

 dren to grow these plants for the love of it, — ^that is, for the fun of it, 

 — and so- we propose that they grow flowers; for when one grows 

 pumpkins and potatoes, and such things, he is usually thinking of how 

 much money he is going to make at the end of the season. Yet, we 

 should like some rivalry in the matter in every school, and we there- 

 fore propose that a kind of fair be held at the school house next Sep- 

 tember, soon after school begins, so that each child may show the 

 flowers which he has grown. What a jolly time that will be! 



Now, we must not try to grow too many things or to do too much. 

 Therefore, we propose that you grow sweet peas and China asters. 

 They are both easy to grow, and the seeds are cheap. Bach one has 

 many colors, and everybody likes them. Now let us tell you just how 

 we would grow them. 



.1. The place. — Never put them — or any other flowers — in the mid- 

 dle of the lawn, — that is, not out in the center of the yard. They do not 

 look well there, and the grass roots run under them and steal the food 

 and moisture. I am sure that you would not like to see a picture hung 



