FOR THE use OF TEACHERS. 



No. 21. 



Leaflet 



On Nature Study. 



Especially Adapted to the Use of Children in Schools 

 IN Rural Districts. 



PREPARED BY THE 



FACULTY OF PURDUE UNIVERSITY. 



A CHILDREN'S VEGETABLE GARDEN. 



By Prof. James Troop. 



It is probable that there are very few farmers' boys who have 

 reached the age of twelve years, who have not had some experience in 

 "weeding the garden;"' and I dare say that this experience has not al- 

 ways been of the most pleasant kind. At least I did not find it so, and 

 it was not until I was older that I discovered what was the trouble. 

 In order to really enjoy doing a piece of work we mnst have an inter- 

 est in it. We must love the work, and as a rule, in order to do that 

 we must be able to look ahead and see what is to come from it. 



Some one has said that when one grows pumpkins and potatoes and 

 such things he is usually thinking how much he is going to get out of 

 it at the end of the season. In one sense that is true, because we usu- 

 ally grow vegetables either for our own use or to sell to some one else; 

 but before we can grow them, to secure the very best results, we must 

 certainly learn something about them, how they grow, how to supply 

 their needs from the time when they first peep their tiny heads 

 through the soil until they put forth their leaves and blossoms and 

 finally ripen their fruit or seeds. By so doing we shall be able to work 

 in harmony with nature, and thus in the end have the satisfaction of 

 growing the best and receiving the largest returns. 



In a former leaflet Professor Bailey has told you about raising 

 Sweet Peas and China Asters. I suppose that he selected those varie- 



