CHAPTER V 
A WORD FOR GOOD TOOLS 
Through cunning, with dibble, rake, mattock, and spade, 
By line and by level trim garden is made. — Tusser 
When the children’s school farm in New York City was 
started, the children were equipped with just one tool — a clam- 
shell. With this insignificant weapon, as the whole school- 
gardening world knows, they made a splendid attack. But 
even a ten-year-old child, as he goes on improving, wants the 
right tools. He wants them so much that he will do a good 
deal on his own initiative toward getting them. So in the 
spring, when youngsters begin to discuss tools with the 
same eagerness as they do bats and marbles and are found 
poring over catalogues away past bedtime, it is the moment 
for a grown-up to step in and offer his experiences, and show 
them how to make their pennies go farthest. 
When enthusiasm is at the full, one teacher makes a prac- 
tice of inviting his class to visit with him one of the great 
agricultural supply houses. Here are stacked a truly bewil- 
dering assortment of implements and machines. Young 
people enter a new world ; they cannot help being fascinated 
by these complicated and ingenious inventions. Of course 
they must examine all the articles in detail, and handle every- 
thing, lingering always longest, to the concern of the teacher, 
over tools which have fine-cutting edges. The obliging dealer 
will be peppered with questions. All at once the children 
begin to grasp what this tremendous industry stands for. 
They learn, besides, that agricultural machinery constitutes 
76 
