palmer] AGRICULTURE IN SCHOOLS OF LOS ANGELES 219 



amount for such service. Then too, our cold frames yield thous- 

 ands of plants which find ready acceptance for use in home gardens. 

 This enterprise is also fostered by exhibits of home grown produce 

 and small stock, held at the school usually late in the spring. 

 The course of study is so arranged as to correlate the actual garden 

 work with the fundamentals relating to soils, insects, diseases, 

 the parts of plants and their functions, plant propagation, plant 

 improvement, plant food, fertilizers, etc. It is our practice so 

 far as feasible, to produce in our school gardens as part of our 

 working equipment, different kinds of plants — flowers, bulbs, 

 fruits, vines, etc. — which are not only desirable in themselves 

 but which also serve the purpose of illustrating some specific 

 principle in plant production. 



In the lower grade are planted a few quick growing and easily 

 produced vegetables and flowers; the next grade attempts the 

 growing of forms a little more difficult; the sixth grade produces 

 more flowers and takes up simple plant propagation; the seventh 

 and eighth grades go into the subject of production of shrubs and 

 trees, ornamentation of home and school grounds, insects, diseases, 

 discussion of plant improvement, budding, grafting, etc. One 

 plot in each garden is given over to the production of fruit trees 

 and vines — fig, grape, quince, pomegranate, mulbery, plum, peach, 

 etc. Many gardens produce representative fiber plants and cereals 

 in season. 



The produce from the gardens is marketed in different ways, 

 depending upon the character of the district. It is taken home by 

 pupils, is used for children's penny-lunches, by school cafeterias, 

 and is sold to nearby homes, etc. Teachers are permitted to 

 secure a small emergency fund through the sale of not only vege- 

 tables, but extra vegetable plants or ornamental plants. They are 

 required to keep an accurate account of receipts and disburse- 

 ments, to be reported upon yearly, to the supervisor. It is our 

 hope that the garden teacher will become the agricultural adviser 

 for the homes of the school community, and this is actually being 

 accomplished in many cases, some of our teachers conducting 

 demonstrations in pruning, culling of poultry and related problems, 

 in the homes of the district. The opportunities along this line 

 are many, and the school should rise to the occasion. The depart- 

 ment maintains a two-acre Center, which serves as a school 

 garden for five surrounding schools. It is in charge of an assistant 



