SITUATION AND SOIL 
SI 
One garden director pictures thus the transfer of her classes 
from schoolroom to garden : " Twice a week during the plant- 
ing, cultivating, and harvesting seasons, two processions, boys 
and girls, of fifty children each, can be seen marching, two 
by two, through the streets of the West End to their gardens. 
Over their shoulders, like a soldier’s bayonet, are carried those 
worthier weapons — the tools by which human society has built 
its fabric — the hoe and the rake.” i 
A somewhat striking example of what. may be done with a 
ragged bit of city land is worth picturing in detail : This par- 
ticular plot adjoined a school building situated in such a closely 
settled section that the only free space belonging to it was an 
irregular polygon squeezed into the space left by two brick 
buildings. Here the sunshine crept in during only a very few 
hours each day, so that everybody called it folly to undertake 
gardening against such heavy odds. Notwithstanding the 
heavy handicaps, however, a garden was finally laid out ; and, 
curiously enough, as time went on this little plot became an 
inspiration to numbers of young gardeners throughout the city. 
The ingenious planning, the good judgment in selecting the 
right plants, and the discrimination shown in massing against 
the fence a few tall and brilliant flowers made the place 
unique. One would hardly believe how many visitors from 
far and near were attracted by this obscure little corner. 
They were well repaid for their journey, too, they said, 
by a glimpse of the joyous children absorbed in work, and 
by the quite remarkable fruits of their industry. But by far 
the most gratifying result of this bit of garden was the love 
displayed for it throughout the whole neighborhood. What 
eager dark faces were always gazing over the fence ! And 
what words of approval were murmured in Italian or in 
softly twisted English ! 
^ Report of Boston School Garden Committee. 
