1473 Issued December 5, 1912. U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS-BULLETIN 252. A. C. TRUE, Director. SO~{E TYPES OF OHILDREN'S GARDEN WORK. BY MISS SUSAJ\ B. SIPE, Collaborator; Bureau, of Plant Industry and Office of Experiment Stations. WASHING'l'ON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 19J2. 1473 Issued December D, In2 U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS-BULLETIN 252. A. C. TRUE, Director. SOME TYPES OF OHILDREN'S GARDEN WORK. BY MISS SUSAN B. SIPE, Collaborator, Bureau of Plant Industry and Office of Experiment Stations. WASHINGTON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFIOE. 1912. THE OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. A. C. TRUE, Ph. D., Sc. D., Director. E. W. ALLEN, Ph. D., Assistant Director and Editor of Experiment Station Record. DICK J. CROSBY,M. S., Specialist in Agricultural Education. C. II. LANE, M. A., B. S. A., Assistant in Agricultural Education. B. B. HARE, A. B., M. A., Assistant in Agricultural Education and Rural Eco- nomics. 252 (2) LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. u. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS, Washington, D.O., June 3, 191'12. SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a report on some phases of elementary instruction in agriculture by Miss Susan B. Sipe. The investigations upon which this report is based were made in the larger cities from Pittsburgh, Pa., to the Pacific coast, under a joint letter of instructions from the chief of the Bureau of Plant Industry and the director of this office. Miss Sipe found and has described some important phases of children's garden work not described in previous reports, and I therefore recommend the publication of this report as Bulletin No. 252 of the Office of Experiment Stations. Respectfully, A. C. TRUE, Director. Hon. JAMES WILSON, Secretary of Agriculture. 252 (3) CONTENTS. Page. Introduction....................... . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Children's garden work __. __ __. __ __. .. . . . . . 8 Pittsburgh..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . •. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Cleveland.......... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . 11 Willard School farm __~ __. __ __ __. 13 Home economics added to garden work.,... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 , Chicago ~.................................................... 15 I. Nature-study course __ ________ 16 Parental School.. __. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . __. __. . . . . 17 Minneapolis.. . ........................................... 18 Vacant-lot gardening. __ __. . . .. .. __ __. . . 18 School gardens............. ........................................ 23 Greeley, Colo.......................... 25 Elementary agriculture............. ................................ 26 Utah State Normal Training Schoo!.. __. __ __. __.. . . . 28 Connecting schools with life .. __ 29 Greatest fair ever held..... . . . . .. 30 Home gardens.................................................... 31 California __ . . __ ,..................... 34 San Francisco.......... 35 University of California .. __ __ . __. '. . .. . .. . 36 Chico State Normal Schoo!.. __. __ 40 Los Angeles '. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 The course in nature study _. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Course in agriculture __ _. 50 Gardena Agricultural High School. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Course in agriculture and science __ __. __ .. 51 Portland, Oreg.............. ........................................... 53 Spokane, Wash. __.. __ __ __ 54 252 (5) ILLUSTRATIONS. PLATES. Page. PLATE1. Fig. I.-McCann garden, Pittsburgh, Pa. Fig. 2.-Nature-study class conducted by the Pittsburgh Playground Association. _____ S II. Fig. I.-Chicken ranch at the Trace garden, Pittsburgh, Pa. Fig. 2.- Lewis garden, Pittsburgh, Pa . _. .. ... ... - . 8 III. Fig. I.-Site of the Collinwood School destroyed by fire. Fig. 2.- Memorial garden on site of the Collinwood SchooL _.. __.. _.. . 12 IV. Two views of Willard School farm, Cleveland, Ohio. Fig. I.-At planting time. Fig. 2.-With crops at their best .. _.. .... .. 12 V. Fig. I.-Entrance to Rosedale garden, Cleveland, Ohio. Fig. 2.- Domestic science class, Cleveland, Ohio, at work on vegetables raised in the garden. . __. _. .. __.. - -- -- 16 VI. The transformation of a city lot in Minneapolis. Fig. I.-Before being rented by the Garden Club. Fig. 2.-After clearing and planting .. _.. _. .... . _. _. __. . . _. .. _... - . . 16 VII. Fig. I.-A typical vacant lot garden in Minneapolis. Fig. 2.- Schiller School garden, Minneapolis __ .. - -- 24 VIII. Fig. I.-Pierce School tool shed. Fig. 2.-Products from a 6 by 10 garden grown by a third-grade boy, __.. _. _- _.. _. - 24 IX. On the campus of State Teacher's College of Colorado. Fig. I.-One of the campus gardens. Fig. 2.-Old-fashioned garden leading to the school garden. _.__.. ... _.__.... __. _.... __. __. _. __. - .. - ... _. 24 X. Fig. I.-Fall work in the school garden. State Teachers' College of Colorado. Fig. 2.-Exhibit at Weld County Fair of products from the home garden of a sixth-grade boy ... . _.. ... _.... _-..... 24 XI. Fig. I.-Boys of Parental School, Spokane, Wash., irrigating and cul- tivating school garden. Fig. 2.-Gathering crops in garden of Parental School, Spokane, Wash .. __... .... _... . __--. _. - 56 TEXTFIGURES. Fig. 1. Planting plan of vacation school gardens, Pittsburgh .... - -- .... -- -- . 8 2. The relation of soil to living .. . __... _... __.. __.. __. -- - .. -- -- .. -- 38 252 (6) SOME TYPES OF CHILDREN'S GARDEN WORK. INTRODUCTION. School garden work has become so general within the past five years and literature relative to the same so abundant that facts of the nature furnished in earlier reports would be superfluous, viz, what to plant, the distances apart of the rows and of the seeds in the row, and like detailed information. Teachers need now to view the garden from a higher plane-its relation to daily living, its effect upon character development, its place in the curriculum, and its relation to other subjects in the course of study. Therefore, in making this report such facts have taken a more prominent place than the ones that may be obtained from textbooks. The individual plat system and the young gardener, owner of all he raises, is the system in vogue east of the Rockies. West of the 'Rockies almost invariably the commercial side holds a place of importance equal with the cultivation, but the products are sold for the benefit of the school. Children are taught business methods through the sale. The system of teaching agriculture used is always based on the best local practice and is one that children can follow intelligently, but the products are always the property of the school. Nowhere is there systematized garden instruction in the city graded schools. In a majority of places it is still a matter of choice with the principals. Until the necessity of a specialized instructor is felt the work will not be systematized. The educational value of garden instruction is too great to allow it to be a matter of choice with teachers. There seems to be a fear among educators in official positions of burdening teachers and the course of study with new subjects. As our modes of living improve the demand comes to the schools for practical methods dealing with the question of right living. It is safe to predict that popular demand will cause the replacement of some of our antiquated methods and subjects by systematized science lessons that will teach people how to lead more wholesome and useful lives. 252 (7) 8 CHILDREN'S GARDEN WORK. PITTSBURGH. The Pittsburgh Playground Association directs the agricultural education of the children of that city. Wherever the principals of schools will cooperate the association is ready to lend assistance. Nine vacation schools, in which nature study and gardening were an important part of the course, were conducted during the summer of 1911. Besides these, children between 9 and 15 years were taught woodwork, basketry, sewing, cooking, drawing, physical training, folk dances, gymnastics, dramatics, and games. The total attendance in the gardening and nature study classes for 1910was 32,733,at a cost per capita of $0.093. (PI. I.) The nine gardens that are connected with the vacation schools are all similarly planned. The plats are 6 feet by 12 feet, the rows run- ning lengthwise, and the 13 rows in each plat are planted as shown in the following plan. (Fig. 1.) PARSLEV CARROTS SeETS LET7VCe B£ANS RAOISHES' BEANS RAOISHeS BEANS L£rruce: BeETS CARROTS PrlR.$L£Y FIG. I.-Planting plan of vacation school gardens, Pittsburgh. The planting is very close, the rows being but 6 inches apart, but after the radishes are harvested the rows of beans stand a foot apart .. Very careful supervision prevents injury during cultiva- tion. Such supervision is possible, as there are no stated class hours, the children coming when it is most convenient for them. It was feared that stated hours would prevent many children from attend- ing, so the teachers are employed eight hours a day during the summer. The morning hours are always given to the garden, and more time if necessary to meet the children individually. The rest of the day is spent in visiting home gardens. The gardens with but one exception are on land owned by private parties. They are widely scattered over the city, and- It is aimed eventually to reach every district with a combined garden and playground. It is hoped for each garden that it may be a center of knowledge. 252 U. S. Dept. of Agr., Bul. 252, Office of Expt. Stations. PLATE I. FIG. 1.-McCANN GARDEN, PITTSBURGH, PA. FIG. 2.-NATURE-STUDY CLASS CONDUCTED BY THE PITTSBURGH PLAYGROUND ASSOCIATION. U. S. Dept. of Agr., Bul. 252. Office of Expt. Stations. PLATE II. FIG. 1.~CHICKEN RANCH AT THE TRACE GARDEN, PITTSBURGH, PA. FIG. 2.-LEWIS GARDEN, P.lTTSBURGH, PA. 9 a bureau of plant exchange, an inspiration to the community, and a place fOI: the collaboration of practical !:esthetic and educational knowledge of children's and home gardens, which may in the end develop a strong and united system of gardens in Pittsburgh. It has been difficult to secure teachers who have had the proper social, practical, and pedagogical training to meet the requirement necessary for one taking charge of the gardening for a district. A plan of affiliation has been formed between the playground asso- ciation and the University of Pittsburgh whereby the supervisor of gardening gives a course at the university, the credits for which are counted by the school of education. Six teachers were enrolled in this course last year. There are several unique features connected with the garden work. At the Trace garden, on Mount Washington, an experiment has been started in chicken raising. (PI. II, fig. 1.) At a cost of $10 per coop a number of well-built chicken coops have been bought. Upon the signing of the following agreement a boy is put in charge of a coop: POULTRY CLASS,TRACEGARDEN. The undersigned wishes to make application to become a member of the poultry class at Trace garden. In making this application I understand that the chickens and food for the same will be furnished by the playground association, but that I will beccme owner as soon as I have paid said association from my receipts the original cost of the chickens plus the cost of food consumed. I further understand that when I have completed the poultry course and have paid. for my chickens. as above stated, I may take them home or dispose of them as I see fit. If I am assigned a coop of chickens I hereby agree to follow exactly the directions of the teacher and to pay to him all money recei 1'00 from my flock until it is paid for. (Signed) Parent, --- ---. NOTE.-The teacher in charge will give a receipt for all money received. The need of a greenhouse was felt. The supervisor obtained the use of a wooden building (78 by 18 feet) at Washington Park, which was remodeled for greenhouse purposes. The even span wooden roof was removed from 48 feet of it and replaced by a lean-to glass roof. The remaining portion was used as a potting shed and at- tendant's room. A bulb cellar was excavated under part of the house. Classes of children work every afternoon planting and car- ing for bulbs, making cuttings, planting, and studying seeds. A sec- tion of the house is devoted to pets, and the children are most eager to learn about the ones especially adapted for their homes. Mothers' classes will be organized and the teachers in charge of the greenhouse 56121°-Bull.252-12-2 10 will aid the people of their district in planning and planting gardens and window boxes. Piano boxes are used at the different gardens for tool boxes. They are fitted up differently than in most places. Instead of the oblique side being used as the cover one of the narrow, vertical ends has been hinged and used for the opening. Two sets of horizontal strips have been fastened inside, one for rakes to rest on, the other for the hoes, leaving plenty of room at the bottom for garden lines and seeds. The playground association has started the sale of bulbs and seeds in the schools after the example set by Cleveland. About 45,000 bulbs were sold to the children at cost in 1910. Printed order sheets are sent into the schools and later, at the time of distribution, printed directions are given the children. The forms used are shown below. THE PITTSBURGH PLAYGROUND ASSOCIATION-DEPARTMENT OF NATURE STUDY AND GARDENING. 707-711 LYCEUM BUILDING, PITTSBURGH, PA. INDIVIDUAL ORDER. Place stamps under variety or same name. Crocus. Tulip. Narcissus. Hyacinth. Paper white for Solid indoor White. Extra Extra Mixed. Blue. White. Scarlet. White. Red. yellow. culture white. blue. only. --- -- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- -- -- ! cent. 1 cent. 1 cent. 1 cent. 1 cent. 2 cents. 2 cents. 3 cents. 3 cents. 6 cents. 6 cents. -- -- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- -- -- Name............................................. City . School............................................ State : '...........•• Room No . Your bulbs and directions for planting will be delivered in October. DIRECTIONS FOR BULB PLANTING. Indoor culture.-Plant the bulbs early in October, using rich garden loam (black soil). The pots should be filled so that the top of the bulb will be even with or slightly below the top of the pot. Water thoroughly and place the pots in a cool, dark cellar or closet, being sure to water at least once each week. In case it is impossible to place in a cellar or closet the pots may be buried in the ground and covered with 6 or 8 inches of soil. In planting, place only one variety in a pot and do not crowd the bulbs. In case the pots are buried in the ground the surface of the soil should be covered with straw, cloth, or boards to prevent solid freezing. About January 15 take up the pots and place them in a warm room (not near the stove) and keep 'them away from the sun at first, but gradually move them toward the window to accustom them to the light. After the bulbs have been brought out for about a week they should have been moved into stronger and stronger light until they are ready to stand the bright 252 11 sun. While the bulbs are growing they need much water and should be watered freely every day. On cold nights the plants should be moved away from the window; and if they should freeze, a good remedy is to sprinkle with cold water and keep away from heat and bright sunlight for a time. If a succession of flowering is wanted, the bulbs should be brought in at different times after January 15. Those who have a cool, dark cellar may grow hyacinths in water in the "hyacinth glass," treating them as described for potted bulbs. In growing bulbs in this way they must be kept in the dark the same length of time; the glass must be kept full of water; and if a little charcoal is placed in the glass, the water will be kept pure. Outdoor culture.-Plant the bulbs as soon as they are received, 6 inches apart and 3 inches deep, in good soil. As soon as the planting is done water the soil thoroughly. A little manure placed over the bulbs will help to protect them during the cold weather. The Pittsburgh gardens have been unusually successful. They are orderly and well kept under the most difficult conditions. (PI. II, fig. 2.) Many of them are on steep hillsides. Sudden and severe showers cause much damage by washing; the soil is very poor; yet through the untiring effort of the supervisor and his assistants it is not unusual to find the outdoor gymnasium almost deserted, while the adjoining garden is full of industrious workers. One tubercular boy gained 14 pounds during the summer. Such strictly educational work on the part of a playground association is very unusual and well worthy of imitation by other cities. CLEVELAND. The organization and development of school garden work in Cleve- land is comprehensive and progressive. It was inaugurated in the public schools in 1904 and conducted jointly by the Home Gardening Association and the board of education. In 1905 the latter body assumed control of the work. Detailed accounts of this early work may be found in Bulletin 160 of the Officeof Experiment Stations, entitled" School Gardens." Mr. Charles G. Orr, director of schools, created in 1905the depart- ment of school gardens, with a curator at its head, the first position of its kind and at the present writing the only one in the country. Miss Louise Klein Miller has occupied the position since its creation. Cleveland occupies a leading position in the school-garden movement in America. Its school grounds are uniformly attractive. (PI. V, fig. 1.) The director of schools has realized' the subtle influence of surroundings upon a child's education. He has not left it to the whim of a school principal as to whether or not the school yard shall be sightly, but in his wisdom he has organized a separate department of school gardens with a responsible head whose duty it is to plan attractive school grounds and put such plans into execution. 252 12 At present the children's 'part in the school garden is voluntary and not a part of the regular curriculum, though it permeates the entire educational system. The garden labels, markers, and stakes are made in the manual training schools; the domestic-science classes cook or can the vegetables they have raised; flowers and vegetables are used for drawing and painting; cotton, hemp, flax, and broom corn are raised to illustrate geography lessons; and nature study and language lessons have been vitalized by the garden. The activities of the school garden work of the Cleveland public schools, as now organized, include the following features: Gardens for the children in the graded schools, for defective children, back- ward children, and delinquents; a botanic garden, an economic and kitchen garden, a nursery of trees and shrubs, propagating centers, the improvement of school grounds, and illustrated lectures. Sixty illustrated lectures were given in the schools last winter to illustrate the principles of soil preparation, cultivation, seed planting, crop rotation, and harmonious color schemes in gardens. Until the present time all activities have been confined to the gram- mar schools, but the new West Side Technical High School will have courses in agriculture, horticulture, and landscape gardening. It will have a greenhouse, a nursery of trees and shrubs, and will prop- agate plants for school ground improvement. The roof of the new high-school building will be provided with bay trees, vines, and flowering plants, and will be used as a study room by the students. The most notable piece of work done by the school garden depart- ment during the past year was the establishment of the memorial garden at Collinwood in memory of 173 children and one teacher who lost their lives in the Collinwood fire. (PI. III.) For two years be- fore the district of Collinwood was annexed to the city of Cleveland nothing had been done there and the only suggestion concerning a memorial was for a monument with the children's names inscribed upon it. After the annexation of the district, the curator of school gardens solved the problem to the complete satisfaction of the people of the district and the school officialsby planting a memorial garden. Half of the space is inclosed in a colonnade of Doric columns 12 feet high connected by trellises, with an impressive memorial gateway at the main entrance. A water garden 35 by 50 feet occupies the site of the old building. This, with garden seats, a sundial, a formal flower garden with its hedges and shrubs, makes a more effective memorial than a shaft of granite. At the rear of the children's gardens is to be a pergola and a summerhouse, where the children can have an outside schoolroom for their nature study, gardening, and reading lessons. 252 U. S. Dept. of Agr., Bul. 252, Office of Expt. Stations. PLATE III. FIG. 1.-SITE OF THE COLLINWOOD SCHOOL DESTROYED BY FIRE. FIG. 2.-MEMORIAL GARDEN ON THE SITE OF THE COLLINWOOD SCHOOL, COMMEMORATING THE DEATH OF 173 SCHOOL CHILDREN AND 1 TEACHER. U. S, Dept. of Agr. SuI. 252, Office of Expt, Stations. PLATE IV. FIG. 1.-AT PLANTING TIME. FIG. 2,-WITH CROPS AT THEIR BEST. TWO VIEWS OF WILLARD SCHOOL FARM, CLEVELAND, OHIO. 13 WILLARD SCHOOL FARM. The new West Side Technical High School, previously referred to, will occupy an entire block. The land has been in possession of the school authorities for several years, and for the past two years: has been used by the boys and girls of the Willard School as a training garden, under the direction of R. F. Powell, formerly superintendent of the Vacant Lot Association of Philadelphia. While the board of education has borne the expense, this farm school has not been under the care of the school garden department. The plats are larger than usually found in school gardens-20 by 40 feet. Fifty-six such plats were cultivated in 1910 by 62 children of the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. The work was enlarged in 1911 to accommodate 165 children, including all grades. (PI. IV.) Most valuable training is given the children. The gardens are re- markable in appearance for children's gardens. The crops have been excellent. At the rate tomatoes have been gathered, an acre would yield 2,722 bushels. Eight gardens, taken in regular order, were selected for a careful estimate of the yield of sweet corn. The space occupied by the corn was 12 feet wide and 86 feet long-less than 1,100 square feet-on which there were produced 600 well-developed ears ready for use, the small, undeveloped ones not being counted. At this rate, selling for 15 cents a dozen, an acre would yield $275 worth of corn. The expense above the salary of the teacher of conducting this five months'isummer school for children was $1.06 per child, but the crops which the children grew were worth four times that amount in the retail market. Two compositions written as school work by two sixth-grade chil- dren show plainly their pleasure in the garden. The first of these won the second prize in the girls' section. HISTORY OF M'r GARDEN. I received my application card for a garden from Miss Deighton May 31. I took it at once to Mr. Powell, and was awarded a garden 20 feet wide and 40 feet long. Owing to the wet weather, I could not till the soil until the fol- lowing Saturday, June 4. Under Mr. Powell's direction I then plowed and softened the dirt and planted 4 rows of carrots, 4 rows of lettuce, 4 rows of onions, 4 rows of beets, and 4 rows of radishes. In just 21 days the radishes were ready for sale. My lettuce and onions followed a few weeks later. In July my beets and beans were ready. At this time beans were bringing 8 cents a quart, or 2 quarts for 15 cents. Including radishes, onions, lettuce, beans, and beets, I have earned $5.40 up to August, 17. Out of that I have bought myself a gold bracelet and have a little money left. After disposing of all my onions, I then plowed and got the soil ready to plant my celery and a second crop of beans. I planted 108 celery plants, and, 252 14 with the exception of 8 or 9, they all came up. I expect to dispose of my celery very readily to my customers as .soon as it is ready for sale. I also had a good crop of corn, but it is the favorite vegetable at our table, and it was so sweet and good I couldn't think of selling it. Then came lily tomatoes, the best crop of all. They were not very large, but were very select. and there were lots of them. I think there were more than 200 on 20 plants. I also have cabbage, peppers, kale, Brussels sprouts, and kohl-rabi, which I am saving for exhibit at the garden festival. I also planted parsnips, but I am not going to say very much about them because they never came up. After all this collection of vegetables above mentioned, I have still 4 rows of carrots, 4 rows of beets, 3 rows of radishes coming up, 4 rows of beans (second crop), 2 rows of corn, 2 rows of tomatoes. and 1 row of peppers, yet to sell or use at home. I hope, if I have given satisfaction to Illy supervisor, Mr. Powell, that the size of my garden may be increased to double its present size next year, because I will be 1 year older, 1 year bigger. and 1 year stronger, and I will be able to enlarge my Jist of customers. Another pleasure which I enjoyed greatly was the cooking lessons given me by Miss Ola Powell, teacher of domestic science at Oakland school. I learned to can and to cook most all the different kinds of vegetables that grew in my garden. I am greatly interested in all the branches of this work. and hope some day to understand it perfectly. RHEA LYON, 9515 Willard Avenue, Willar-d School, Sixth Grade, Age i: Years. SEPTEMBER 17, 1910. THE LIFE OF A JAPANESE RADISH. I am the seed of a Japanese radish. My ancestors came from the far-off Japan. The first of my family was brought to the united States only two or three years ago. ·Even to-day there are very few of us in the country. One firm in Missouri has all there are of us. Mr. Powell gave 10 of us to some boys to plant. I fell into the hands of Paul Roberts, one of the Willard School gardeners. When I was planted, about September 20, I was put into rich, moist soil, with plenty of space, so that I could grow and spread my huge leaves as far as I could reach. After I had been buried about three days I peeped out of the ground. I was given water every day, and within two weeks my leaves were 3 inches in length. They were now dark green, long, and slender, with irregular edges. My body is between a white and a pale yellow. I am at least 2 inches in diameter at the thickest part, and though much larger, I shall be long and slender like other radishes. I ought to weigh about 15 pounds. Some of my family reach the remarkable weight of 40 pounds. At the present time my leaves are 3 feet high, and I feel pretty big. Paul is very much interested in me. and has taken good care of me and will take me out of the ground when Jack Frost comes again. PAUL ROBERTS, Age 11, Sixth Grade, 2122 West NinetY-fifth Street. NOVEMBER 11, 1910. HOME ECONOMICS ADDED TO GARDEN WORK. Next in importance to a knowledge of producing vegetables is the knowledge of how to put them to the best use-to can, preserve, cook, and serve them in the best way. (PI. V, fig. 2.) A home economics 252 15 summer class was organized among the gardeners at the Oakland School, Cleveland, in 1910, and a teacher skilled in both gardening and cookery put in charge. The ambition of the teacher has been to make the cooking, canning, and preserving so simple that little ones of 8 and 10 years can readily accomplish the work. Three such kitchen gardens have been in operation in 1911, each one open two days in a week. In the first two weeks at one school the children canned and pre- served 150 jars, besides receiving instruction in the cooking- and serving of 6 different kinds of vegetables grown in their gardens. An exhibition at the opening of one of the new market houses in Cleveland was most creditable to the teacher in charge. Every vege- table grown in the gardens had been canned for winter use in a manner that would have been a credit to most experienced house- keepers. CHICAGO. Crowded conditions in Chicago prevent much garden work around the schools, but the tendency is for principals and teachers to avail themselves of the opportunity wherever ground can be spared. The general scheme is a border 3 feet wide around the playgrounds for spring planting, though a few schools, notably the Sprye, Forestville, and Van Vlissingin, have done elaborate school-ground decoration. Mr. George A. Brennan, principal of the Van Vlissingin School, is the chairman of the buildings and grounds committee of the principals' club. The school is located in what was country a few years ago. The people of the district are mostly of Dutch ancestry and have much native ability in gardening. There is, therefore, general local interest in the subject, which is an .asset to the enthusiastic principal of the school. There are 1,400 children in the building under the care of 32 teachers. Beside following the regular course of study in nature subjects, Mr. Brennan is an enthusiast on the subject of economic forestry. At the Chicago Municipal Welfare Exhibit held at the coliseum in September, there were classes from this school at· work making sprays and cements, showing methods of curing dis- eased places on the trunks of trees and killing the tussock moths, cottony scale, and plant lice. The pupils last year killed 5,000 tussock moths and 25,000 other noxious insects., One fifth grade boy showed 15 neighbors the cottony scale and taught them the remedy. So well had the children killed the tussock moth that few could be found for exhibition purposes. Committees were formed for the summer care of the garden, which was watered and weeded most conscientiously. 252 16 The committee of the principals' club, previously referred to, has recommended that a greenhouse nursery be established at the parental school for the propagation of plants for the Chicago schools, and that a nursery be established at the Bowen High School to give a more practical trend to the high-school courses in biology and at the same time provide planting material for the schools. An acre of land has been obtained for the latter purpose but so far there has been no money to carry out the project. The Chicago Teachers' College has recommended that a nursery and greenhouse be estab- lished at the college for the training of its students. While little has come of this recommendation, the trend of feeling.is evident that teachers must be trained in agricultural subjects. Elementary gardening is included in all grades in the nature-study course. Abstracts from this course of study are given to help others planning the same line of work. Time allowed is 1i hours a week in the first three grades and 1 hour in the grades above. NATURE STUDY COURSE. First grad e.-Experiences with raising flowering plants in window gardens by the children: planting and caring for winter flowering bulbs in group window gardens; individual experiences in germinating seeds and growing the plants in window gardens. Second grade.-Exhibition of home-grown plants; the growing of winter flowering plants to Cake home; what the children know about the use of common vegetables in the home; about the growing of vegetables; the testing of vegetables brought by the children to learn which parts .are good for food; an experiment in growing some of the common vegetables, such as bush beans; beets and carrots grown in window gardens for decorative effect; preliminary soil studies, by picking over, sifting, finding pebbles, roots, and twigs; the planting of an ornamental window garden, using flowers; the growing of early summer flowering bulbs in group window garden to produce blossoms before the end of the school year, summer flowering bulbs to be started. Third grade.-Experiments in window gardens to determine the essential conditions for seed germination and growth; need of heat, water, light, soil, and air. The planting of seeds of "crop" plants, such as corn, in pots or boxes to transplant at home, to care for during the summer, and to return for the plant exhibit the following autumn. Fourth. grade.-The planting of seeds of rapid growers in order to study their life cycle; the various means of growing plants with which the children have not already had sufficient experience, such as by cuttings, tubers, summer flowering bulbs, runners, and roots; the continuance of study of life cycle of plants not completed previously; the planting for increase in yield at school and at home. . NOTE.-Sunfiowers, zinnias, dahlias, golden glow are suitable to plant in school grounds; the potato, corn, peanut at home. • Fifth gmae.-Exhibition of such home-grown plants as the children have raised; the planting out of doors, at school, and at home, where possible, beds of spring-flowering bulbs in October or early November. Simple experimental studies with building material and with the preservation of wood and iron. 252 U. S. Dept. of Agr" Bul. 252, Office of Expt. Stations. PLATE V. FIG. 1.-ENTRANCE TO ROSEDALE GARDEN, CLEVELAND, OHIO. GLACIAL BOWLDERS IN FOREGROUND COLLECTED BY CHILDREN WHILE PREPARING THE GROUND. FIG. 2.-DoMESTIC SCIENCE CLASS, CLEVELAND, OHIO, AT WORK ON VEGETABLES RAISED IN THE GARDEN. U. S. Dept. of Agr., Bul. 252, Office of Expt. Stations. PLATE VI. FIG. 1.-BEFORE BEING RENTED BY THE GARDEN CLUB. FIG. 2.-AFTER CLEARING AND PLANTING. THE TRANSFORMATION OF A CITY LOT IN MINNEAPOLIS. 17 Simple experiments with soil, soil materials, and fertilizers, preparatory to growing plants; the growing of plants and the caring for spring-flowering bulbs planted out of doors in the autumn; watering window gardens both from above and below; growing plants with and without fertilizers; protecting plants from insects; plants suitable for different situations; planting of hemp to be used in autumn. NOTE.-Flax sown in June among the other plants in the out-of door garden keeps down the weeds and furnishes material for the autumn of the following year. Siwtlt grade.-The decoration of the school and home grounds with herbaceous perennial vines and flowers; observations and reports on the way in which such plants are used in the parks and- other places in the city; the utilization in conjunction with pupils of other grades, of any vacant lot available for a neighborhood garden. Seventh grad e.-Experimental studies of bacteria, yeasts, and molds in rela- tion to man's food and health; preservation of food by drying, heating, sweeten- ing, pickling, and freezing. Eighth grade.-Cold frames, hot beds, germinati:1g boxes for south windows, or even small greenhouses, to be prepared in the winter for spring planting; plants started in the same to be distributed among the other grammar grades for use in planting and cultlvatlng vacant lots or for distribution in the school neighborhood; the school exhibition of home-grown plants managed by pupils. NOTE.-One-half of this work should be selected and covered during the year. PARENTAL SCHOOL OF CHICAGO. One place in the Chicago school system where gardening holds a very important place is in the Parental School. In its aims and management the Parental School is very similar to a reform school, though it is designed to receive habitual truants and incorrigibles even when they have committed no direct offense. The child is taken away from his surroundings for either a definite or an indefinite period, subjected to a special regimen of nutrition, physical educa- tion, and control, which is designed to correct bad habits and give a right attitude toward school life and incidentally to exert a deterrent influence. The Chicago Parental School has 70 acres of land for which the city paid $1,000 an acre. Thirty acres more are rented. A farmer directs the cultivation of this land, boys being used where their physical ability allows it. They. herd and clean the cows and assist in corn cutting and filling the silos, but boys of 14 are not sufficiently developed to do heavy farm work. The cottage or family system is in vogue. Each family has its own playground and its own chicken yard wholly looked after by the boys. Ten acres of land are set aside for individual plats. These plats are laid out uniformly, giving the appearance of a well-ordered truck garden, though divided up among the 300 boys attending the institution. The products from these gardens are used on the cottage tables. The boys appear very happy in their work, in their 'play, and in their schoolrooms. The teachers are selected from the regular 56121°-Bull.252-12--3 18 corps of public-school teachers. The writer observed a very orderly class of boys gathering tomatoes under the direction of their class- room teacher. A chance conversation with a boy of 13, an Italian, named Mike, who had been an inmate of the school, but at the time was paroled, attending the city schools, showed the high regard that the street waifs have for the school. Mike was on his way to the school to see some of his old friends and expressed a sincere regret that he couldn't stay on the farm in summer, when there was little for a boy to do in the city but stand around the streets. He said he had planted beans in a box at home, but that wasn't the same as a garden. MINNEAPOLIS. VACA:NT-LOT GARDENING. A stranger in Minneapolis during the summer of 1911, unless he were totally blind to his surroundings, could not fail to be impressed with the evidences of civic interest as shown by the displays of flowers in the business sections. Along Nicollet Avenue froin the Northern Pacific depot both wholesale and retail houses had flower boxes at almost every window. In the show windows of a large jewelry store were photographs of home and school gardens. In one of the busiest portions of the city, surrounded by billboards, there was a flourishing vegetable garden that would do credit to a good truck farm. (PI. VI.) Lots planted with vegetables and flowers seemed more numerous than the uncultivated ones. Most of this was due to the efforts of the Garden Club to beautify the city for the civic celebration held in July. A year previously the Garden Club was just coming into existence, pledging itself to promote home, school, and neighborhood gardens. Under its auspices one vacant-lot garden was established for 16 boys, members of the Boys' Club. The boys raised their vegetables, sold them, received their prizes, and the garden dropped from the public sight, but the benefit to the boys was not lost, for when the Garden Club in 1911 began a campaign for a more beautiful city, 10 of the 16 boys entered into competition with the adult population in cultivat- ing vacant lots. The campaign of the club was started by offering through the newspapers to obtain for anybody the use of any vacant lot he might choose, to plow and harrow it for planting, to supply the necessary seed, and to furnish a plan and expert supervision. All a gardener was required to do was to select his lot, notify the Garden Club, pay his dollar membership fee, and plant his seeds. As a result of this offer 435 gardens were cultivated by the club members and yielded 252 19 bountifully. Not more than 6 per cent of them were failures. Such a generous offier of assistance required money to meet the obligations. The dues furnished over $400, but the bulk of the money came from the funds of the civic celebration. The committee in charge placed $3,200 at the disposal of the Garden Club to dress the city for the celebration. Judicious and persistent advertising, combined with ex- pert supervision and inexhaustible enthusiasm on the part of those in charge account for the success of the work. Application blanks were sent broadcast and the same form appeared for many days in one of the daily papers. There seemed to be little difficulty in seerring lots, owing to the cooperation of the real estate board. After a lot was , secured an agreement was entered into by the gardener and the owner of the lot whereby the gardener would surrender the lot on five days' notice. The Garden Club also held itself responsible for the cleaning of all vacant lots in the city. In this they enlisted the aid of the police department. Blank cards were given policemen upon which reports were made of the condition of the lots. Six hundred. lots were cleaned by the club. All information in regard to vacant lots and gardens was carefully catalogued by means of the card system. This information was vary complete. The application and other forms shown below are worth study by those contemplating, the same kind of work. AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SERVICE. Don't you want to help beautify the city for the civic celebration week? Don't you want to decorate your own lawn and grounds as a permanent investment? Don't you want to have fresh vegetables all summer, for your table or for sale? The Garden Club of Minneapolis will find you a vacant lot, plow and harrow it, give you seeds and plants for it, furnish expert supervision and instruction all summer long, and give hundreds of dollars in cash prizes for successful work. It will help you beautify your home grounds by giving advice on the vegetables and flowers to select, by coaching you with personal letters, answer- ing in detail any questions you may ask, and by supplying you the bulletins issued for the vacant lots. You must help. The cost to you is nominal. Read the details on the other side of this page, and join the Garden Club of Minneapolis at once. ApPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP. The undersigned hereby makes application for membership in the Garden Club of Minneapolis and incloses $1 for dues in full for 1911. The applicant also requests the privilege of cultivating a garden near his home in the season of 1911, membership in the Garden Club being essential to competition for the prizes. 252 20 The applicant, on accepting a garden, agrees to subscribe to the rules sub- mitted by the superintendent; should he decline to do so, or should no garden be assigned to him, it is understood that, at his request, his dues are to be returned and his membership in the Garden Club canceled. Applicant's name _ Applicant's address _ DETAILS OF THE GARDEN PLANS FOR 1911. The Garden Club of Minneapolis, acting in harmony with the 1911 CIVIC celebration committee, plans to make Minneapolis one huge flower garden, and at the same time furnish such an impetus to flower and vegetable growing that the reputation the city gets this year will be permanent. Every citizen of Minneapolis should be a member of the club. Ten school gardens are to be planted. Instructors-experts from the agri- cultural college--will supervise this work in the morning and be in the vacant- lot gardens in the afternoon. The vacant lots will be divided into family gardens about 50 feet square and there will be room for flowers and experi- mental vegetables. The bulletins will be issued frequently and will form a complete textbook of gardening adapted to Minneapolis. At the end of the season you should be well equipped to operate a garden both for pleasure and profit. 'I'he only condition governing your cooperation in this important and fas- cinating work is that you become a member of the Garden Club of Minne- apolis. Sign the application at once if you know of a vacant lot you would like to use, let us know about it and we will get it for you. With your application write us a personal letter describing fully your desire, and we will use our best efforts to satisfy you. If you want to operate a vegetable garden only on your own premises scratch out the last two paragraphs of the application blank, and your mem- bership will entitle you to write to our gardeners as often as you wish con- cerning any details of gardening, and to receive detailed answers thereto by return mail, the only cost being a stamp for the reply. It will also entitle you to the bulletins of the Garden Club, the only cost being postage thereon, an estimate of which will be glven you later, and supplied by maiL Bear in mind that this extra cost falls only on those who are gardening at home. If you are using a vacant-lot garden, instructions and bulletins will be furnished abso- lutely free. If you don't care to operate a vacant-lot garden or have not the room for a garden at your home, resolve now to beautify your neighborhood and espe- cially your own premises by planting flowers and shrubs, and send in your dollar and your name, ignoring the blank. You may rest assured that your money will be spent to good effect. The only members of the club that receive any pay for their services are the expert gardeners from the agricultural college. Fill out the application to-day. Mail it at once with your dollar inclosed and, if you like, a letter asking whatever questions you desire or giving what- ever advice you can. Make checks payable to Miss Gratia Countryman. For additional information write Leroy J. Boughner, president of the Garden Club of Minneapolis, 214 Plymouth Building. 252 21. • AGREEMENT. Know all men by these presents, That the undersigned owner hereby grants to the Garden Club of Minneapolis the use of the vacant lot at as a vegetable ~nd flower garden and the right to the produce of the same is hereby given to said Garden Club to be used by such club according to its rules and regulations governing the cultivation of such lots for the season of 1911, it being understood and agreed, however, that said lot shall be surren- dered by the person using such lot at any time upon five days' written notice therefor, and that in case said lot shall not have been surrendered before October 1, 1911, said Garden Club or its lessee shall remove all stones, rubbish, or other articles placed by them on such lot and rake and seed the same to clover without expense of any kind to the owner thereof. Owner. By _ Authorized Agent. The foregoing is accepted upon the conditions therein named. Garden Club of Minneapolis. CARD FURNISHED POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR REPORT ON VACANT LOTS. The vacant lot situated at _ is in a dirty condition for the following reasons: Ashes________________ Tin Cans___________ Boxes _ Lumber Weeds_ Paper _ Excl1vation___________ Dump______________ Rubbish _ Check the reasons and return card at once. CARD USED IN CATALOGUING INFORMATION ABOUT MINNEAPOLIS GARDENS. Gardener No Sec _ Address _ Garden__________________________ Size___________ Sq. ft., _ Owner or agenL________________________________ Consent., _ Plowed_______ Seeds deL______ Plants deL_____ Clover _ Cost, $______ Revenue, $______ ProfiL_____ Per acre, $ _ Plan_____ Execution_____ Beans_____ Beets Carrots _ Corn____ Lettuce____ Onions____ Radishes____ Tomatoes _ Flowers July L___ Vegetables July L___ Receipts____ TotaL _ Lot desired _ Remarks _ REVERSE SIDE OF CARD USED IN CATALOGUING INFORMATION ABOUT MINNEAPOLIS GARDENS. COST. GARDEN CLUB. Preparation _ $------------ Instruction _ Seeds _ Administration ~ _ Miscellaneous _ 252 22 GARDENER. , Tools (one-third value) _ Seeds _ Miscellaneous _ Total _ REVENUE. Beans _ Beets _ Cabbage _ Carrots _ Corn _ Cucumbers ~ _ Lettuce _ Onions _ Peas _ Hadishes _ Squash _ rromatoes _ Miscell aneo us _ Total _ In order to spread information as widely as possible, the Uni- versity of Minnesota gave a course of six lectures as a part of its extension course at the Young Men's Christian Association head- quarters. These were thoroughly practical, relating to soil prepara- tion, seed planting, cultivation, weeds, and so forth. One supervisor and six assistants, all young men from the farm school of the agri- cultural college, were employed to supervise. The superintendent received $100 per month, the assistants $60. These salaries were not all borne by the Garden Club, as the board of education shared in the expense. They gave all of their time to the work, patrolling their districts each day. Prizes amounti.ng to $266 in cash, 1 silver cup, 2 green copper cups, and 200 perennial plants were donated by business men and newspapers. The following scheme gives the score of marking used by the supervisor: Score card tor Minneapolis aordene. Points. Plan of garden______________________________________________ 25 Execution of plan (neatness and straightness of rows) 25 For each of eight vegetables 10, totaL________________________ 80 General appearance of flowers July L_______________________ 25 General appearance of vegetables July L____________________ 25 Commercial value of crops____________ 20 TotaL 200 252 23 The Garden Club realized that much was given its members the first season, and felt it was necessary in order to give the work momentum, but it will not be necessary for its continued success. They propose next year only to plow the land. In the matter of supervision, the people of a district are to meet a supervisor at stated times to witness a demonstration from him of the method of planting a model garden. Prizes will not be given another year. In the judgment of the writer, the movement has been an un- qualified success. A number of gardeners were interviewed-men, women, and children. The evident pride and pleasure shown by them was sufficient proof that more than a passing interest had been aroused. The lots were a fair size-none less than 42 feet by 128 feet. The front of each lot was planted with flowers, an added attraction to a vegetable garden. Owing to the expert supervision given, the earmarks of the amateur were not visible, even in the gardens of those making their first attempts. (PI. VII, fig. 1.) An unusual feature of the movement was that all classes of people were members of the Gaiden Club. So often the work has a philanthropic motive back of it. This was not so in Minneapolis. Civic pride aroused all classes of society. A rough estimate is given by the president of the club that there were 50 home gardens to every vacant-lot garden eontrolled by the club, in all about 18,000 home gardens. The city celebrated a "clean-up day" and a flower day, on which planting was done throughout the city. Nasturtiums had been selected as the city flower for the year, so nasturtium seed was the most popular for planting that day. It is proposed in Minneapolis to have the children vote for a city flower each year and through the efforts of the press have the children's choice planted everywhere. This is an idea worthy of consideration by other cities. SCHOOL GARDENS. Naturally, where so many adults are interested in home gardens, the mov.ement would be encouraged in the schools, so Minneapolis had 10 school gardens, covering over 12 acres of land. (PI. VII, fig. 2, and PI. VIII.) Four of these were on school property, three in parks, and the remainder on private land. The gardens were under the direction of the department of hygiene and physical train- ing. This seemed an unusual department in which to place them in the school system, but it was owing to disbursement of moneys. They were supervised, however, by the same men who had charge of the vacant-lot gardens. The board of education paid one-half of the head supervisor's salary and one-fourth of the four assistants' salaries; The children worked three hours a week during school time. This time was divided into two periods, and the work was voluntary. The 252 24 plats were 8 by 15 feet planted with vegetables, the products belong- ing to the children. The blank used as a report card is submitted. It covers practically all the data relative to the garden. THE MINNEAPOLIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS. DEPARTMENT OF HYGIENE AND PHYSICAL TRAINING. -- Name .... _'_ -- _....•. ___............... ".0··· .......... Plat No. ---- ............ _-- SchooL ... _ -_ ....... --- ------ .......... --- ...... _-- -.--------- - ........ ..... _--.- Rain dates. Amoun t harvested. I 8.~tI . g~ I : '7 ctl b:I ~ g "~ "i:" E'J- iJl ~ 1- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- b:I -- -~--I J ~ ~ 1--- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- b:I ------ I J [ I" 1--- -- -- -- -- II- -- -- -- -,- 0 I:' I ~. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- b:I -- b:I ~ ~ iJl -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- b:I g :1 §, " i:" 'fil iJl --- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- b:I b:I -- ~ >;' ~ ~ MINNEAPOLISPUBLIC SCHOOLS. DEPARTMENTOF HYGIENEAND PHYSICAL TRAINING. -- --,1911. School Gardener: DEAR SIR: There is enough ground for a small garden 6 feet by 15 feet at our house, where sunlight falls during the middle of the day, and I am willing that --- --- should have a garden in this place, and further, I will help him (or her) to plant and care for the home garden during the summer if he starts the work. All seed to be furnished free of charge. (Signed) Address, --- ---. . 252 U. S. Dept. of Agr., Bul. 252, Office of Expt. Stations. PLATE VII. FIG. 1.-A TYPICAL VACANT LOT GARDEN IN MINNEAPOLIS. FIG. 2.-SCHILLER SCHOOL GARDEN, MINNEAPOLIS. U. S. Dept. of Agr, Bul. 252, Office of Expt. Stations. PLATE VIII. FIG. 1.-PIERCE SCHOOL TOOL SHED. FIG. 2.-PRODUCTS FROM A 6 BY 10 FOOT GARDEN GROWN BY A THIRD-GRADE BOY. tJ. S. Dept. of Agr., Bul. 252, Office of Expt. Stations. PLATE IX. FIG. 1.-0NE OF THE CAMPUS GARDENS. FIG. 2.-0LD-FASHIONED GARDEN LEADING TO THE SCHOOL GARDEN. ON THE CAMPUS OF STATE TEACHER& COLLEGE OF COLORADO. U. S. Dept. of Agr., SuI. 252, Office of Expt. Stations. PLATE X. Flo. 1.-FALL WORK IN THE SCHOOL GARDEN, STATE TEACHERS' COLLEGE OF COLORADO. Flo. 2.-ExHIBIT AT WELD COUNTY FAIR OF PRODUCTS FROM THE HOME GARDEN OF A SIXTH-GRADE BOY. 25 Home gardens were encouraged. To insure the aid of parents the above blank was sent to them. As a result there were 1,400 home gardens in 1911. Twenty-two thousand packages of nasturtium seeds were distributed in the second to fifth grades, inclusive, of both pub- lic .and parochial schools. GREELEY, COLO. Most worthy efforts are being made at the State Teachers' College of Colorado, at Greeley, to assist in the agricultural development of the State by training the teachers of rural schools. This institution is considered the heart of the educational system of the State. Its effort has been to arouse interest in the rural teachers in country life. It endeavors to put its students in sympathy with their surroundings and not merely to produce highly specialized teachers. The school garden of this institution is most pleasing. (PI. IX.) It occupies several acres of ground and is divided into four units- the conservatory, the formal garden, the vegetable garden or school garden proper, and the nursery. In the formal garden are luxuriant masses of gaillardias, delphiniums, pentstemon, lychnis, Iceland poppies, blue sage, snapdragon, Canterbury bells, hollyhocks, and gysophila, backed by dense masses of golden elder, cherries, Russian olives, and cut leaved varieties of sumac. Leaving the formal garden one. enters the school garden proper through an entrance banked with clematis and Virginia creeper. This is a graded school garden, all children of the observation school, from the first through the eighth grade, being trained in it. (PI. X, fig. 1.) The individual plat system so popular in the East is used for the children from the third through the fifth grades. The sixth, seventh, and eighth grades are given a more advanced and practical course by the planning and planting of a model kitchen garden such as would be of practical value either at a country home or a city home with available ground. The children become familiar with seed catalogues and use them in making plans for their 'own gardens. These plans are carefully criticised, after which the orders for seeds are sent to the seedsmen by the children themselves, thus giving practice in writing business letters. The first and second grades have community gardens, planting sweet peas, onions, beans, beets, and lettuce. Items of vital interest to the needs of the immediate locality are carefully taught, viz, methods of potato culture, points in judging seed corn, the value of seed selection. The products are not the prop- erty of the children, but belong to the school, the different grades holding sales as the vegetables mature. The kitchen garden of the higher grades turned $76 into the school fund last year. Home gar- 56121o-Bull. 252-12---4 26 dens are encouraged, but no definite statistics are kept in regard to them. That they are general is illustrated by the fact that a former teacher in the observation school returned to the school after an absence of two years and found seven out of eight boys still con- tinuing their home gardens. One of the features of the annual agricultural fair of Weld County, in which the college is located, is the exhibit from this school garden. One hundred and five varieties of garden vegetables were exhibited by the children in 1910. Twenty varieties were entered for competi- tion. Fifteen prizes were received, which in a measure indicates the quality of the vegetables grown. (PI. X, fig. 2.) The teachers' college conducts a summer school six weeks in length. An outline of the course offered in 1911 is given below. The classes were large and full of enthusiasm on the part of both students and teacher, the latter's day of work beginning many times at 5 a. m. ELEMENTARY AGRICULTURE. Hans Weller Hochbaum, B. S. A. 1. The Theory, Practice, and Material of Nature Study. A course designed to fit teachers for teaching nature study in the elementary school. In this course we consider: I. The Nature-Study Idea. A review of the writings of Prof. L. H. Bailey, S. C. Schmucker, C. F. Hodge, and others on the aims and ideals of nature-study teaching. The significance and importance of the nature-study movement. The theory and practice of nature-study teaching. II. The Material of Nature Study. First-hand acquaintanceship with tnt> good and common things of the outdoor world through actual first-hand observa- tion in garden and laboratory, field and plain. 2. School Gardening. The principles of landscape improvement applied to school and home grounds. How to beautify the school and home grounds. A review of best native and introduced decorative plants. The laboratory-garden idea. Practice in garden handicraft. Planning and planting the laboratory garden. Soil studies. Plants in relation to soils. The principles of soil and plant management. The trustees of the college issue quarterly school bulletins. No. 5 of series 10, entitled "Agriculture and Nature Study for Rural Schools," gives a comprehensive idea of the meaning of nature study and the rural school. A special diploma is given students who take the major part of their work in the department of agricultural education. For 1910-11 the following courses were offered: Course 1. Nature Study. The theory, practice, and material .if nature study. Designed to fit teachers for teaching nature study in the elementary school. In this course we consider: I. The Nature-Study Idea. A review of the writings of Prof. L. H. Bailey, S. C_Schmucker, C. F. Hodge, and others on the aims and ideals of nature-study 252 27 teaching. The significance and importance of thenature-stu