354 
Garden Work 
boys or girls in a methodical manner, to give some instruction in the 
method of handling the tools, and the reasons for doing the operations 
concerned. Again, before the conclusion of the time at the disposal of 
the class, the tools must be cleaned thoroughly, and put into their proper 
places in good order. Thus it will be seen that there is not very much 
time left for the actual work in the garden, and if the boys and girls have 
to be constantly urged on with their work, to get it completed in time, they 
have no time for observing the effect of various influences on their crops, 
insect pests, or diseases, and their work, instead of being a pleasure, 
becomes a drudgery. Hence the educational value of gardening will be 
lost entirely. 
The garden should be a school garden, not simply a long row of 
square plots, or even a double row of square plots. What interest can 
children take in such an arrangement of square pieces of ground, though 
set out quite neatly? There must be some artistic, though quite simple, 
arrangement of the plots, by which the plots may all be perfectly separated, 
yet grouped so as to give the appearance of a garden as a whole. Tidi- 
ness is one of the principal features of a garden, and if the boys under- 
stand that on each one of them depends the good appearance or other- 
wise of the whole garden, they will take a far greater interest in their work. 
Again, if they realize that if a crop fails on one plot the whole garden 
is disfigured, they will each put greater care into the sowing of their seeds, 
the thinning of their crops, hoeing between, and all the other operations 
required. In fact the whole work is raised to a higher level. 
Where the individual - plot system is adopted the plots should be 
i pole — 30^ sq. yd.— in extent each, with a small seed or nursery plot, 
and a small fruit plot. The centre or main paths should be 3 ft. wide, 
while the side ones should be from i| to 2 ft. wide. They should be 
edged, preferably with stones, which, if displaced, can be easily put straight 
again. Living edgings, such as London Pride, Box, & c., are not suitable 
for school gardens, as, even with careful attention, the children do not 
understand properly how to handle their tools, and the edgings get 
damaged and patchy and do not look well. Wood is very good, but 
expensive, and after a time it begins to decay; it then gets broken, and 
looks unsightly. But stones, when once procured — if not to be found on 
the ground — are permanent, and with a little care can always be kept tidy. 
The paths should be partially, but not permanently, made. This 
should be explained when laying out the garden, as the arrangement of the 
garden should be altered every few years. This will be experience for the 
