Miscellaneous. 314 [May 1907. 



of prominent children's garden workers, asking them to come and take part in' the 

 exercises. It was very gratifying to find that these invitations were heartily 

 accepted, and the success of the conference was assured. A printed announcement 

 was sent out two weeks in advance, and suitable reading notices were kindly printed 

 by the leading papers. The program included an address of welcome, the announce- 

 ment of awards for school and home gardens, and seven ten-minute addresses 

 covering various phases of the work. Ample opportunity for discussion followed. 

 The Conference was held at Horticultural Hall, Saturday, December 2nd, at 10 o'clock 



Your chairman called attention to the fact that our Society gave encourage- 

 ment and financial assistance to the first school garden in the country, which was 

 started in Roxbury as an experiment. We may therefore consider ourselves leaders 

 in the movement. He briefly reviewed the present conditions, told of the aims 

 of the Committee, and asked for the co-operation of all interested in order that the 

 work might be carried on to the best advantage. After announcing the awards 

 he introduced the first speaker, Miss Esther F. Hallo well. She spoke in place of 

 Miss Annie Withington who was unfortunately obliged to be out of town. Other 

 addresses followed, and nearly every side of the children's garden movement was 

 discussed. As many valuable points were brought out the speakers were asked 

 to furnish abstracts of their addresses, and these are given in connection with 

 this report. 



School Gardens. 



There were twelve entries for prizes for school gardens this year, and all 

 but two sent in reports. This is a gain of nine over last year and the largest 

 number ever entered in one year. The season opened up dry and some of the 

 gardens were very discouraging in the beginning, but picked up later, and in most 

 cases gave satisfactory returns. 



It is well to call your attention to the classes of school gardens which we 

 find. One connected with the public schools and usually in a dormant and weedy 

 condition during the summer, to be revived again with the opening of the school in 

 September. Another, not connected with a regular school, which begins with the 

 opening of spring, or as early as possible without interfering with the regular school 

 work of the children and continuing through the summer until frost. It is very 

 difficult to manage in a public school a garden which will last through the summer, 

 but in some cases, as at Fairhaven, this is most successfully accomplished. In other 

 places the children who stay at home during the summer work in their gardens, 

 while those who go away are obliged to give them up. In large cities the summer 

 school garden is very important and never lacks children ; in many places a long 

 waiting list is kept and any vacaucies are readily filled. Where the children go 

 away they often have a home garden at their summer home. 



hz*s\ The reports of the gardens sent in were very satisfactory, and it was difficult 

 to award the prizes. After careful deliberation it was decided to give besides the 

 prizes two honorable mentions. There are six prizes offered next year, three for the 

 established or large gardens and three for new and small gardens. The classification 

 here is rather indefinite, but it is our desire to give small and new gardens all the 

 encouragement possible. Whatever we do we are very anxious to put school 

 gardens on a permanent basis, and it is with these ideas in mind that we are working. 

 The reports of the directors of the prize gardens will be found further on. 



Children's Home Gardens. 



During 1901 we offered for the first time three prizes for home gardens, and 

 there Were five entries. In making up the list for 1905 great hesitancy was felt 

 the members of the committee as to the advisability of offering more than three 



