GARDENING FOR WOMEN 29 



of these new ideas, we hardly realise the wealth 

 and meaning of this new philosophy. We only 

 know that a still greater use is in store for it, 

 and that, through it, greater happiness will ensue 

 for us. The right application of nature study 

 and all that it embraces, to the education of 

 children, is one of the most important develop- 

 ments of our day. All those who are ambitious 

 for the prosperity of our future England should 

 give very careful consideration to these matters. 

 More and more we learn that the first endeavour 

 of a school is to teach people to live. This new 

 study tends to connect school teaching with life 

 at home. By means of such schooling, our children 

 acquire from earliest days habits of observation. 

 They appreciate all wonders and beauties of 

 natural objects around them. Lovely wild flowers 

 on our downs, many grasses in our meadows, 

 clouds, stars, all become real friends. 



Love of nature, which familiarity with her 

 beauty breeds, is not only wholesome for children 

 of the upper classes. It is good for them, but 

 more especially do we need an increase of such 

 knowledge amongst the poor little waifs and strays 

 of our great cities and towns, who have so few 

 bright moments in their dull grey lives. If these 

 nature study classes can help them, should we 

 not do our utmost to encourage more ladies to 



