Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-04-16
Gardening for Children.

Few parents probably ever think what
an influence a few lessons on gardening
would have on the future life of child.
Every one knows how the acts of child
hood last in the memory, even into old
age, and this influence may be either good
or bad, like the act itself; therefore, know
ing this, we have a good incentive for
teaching our children that which shall
be useful to them in future years. Gard
ening is, however, seldom taught to
children, although one of the most useful
kinds of knowledge which they could
obtain. Perhaps the reason why it IS so
is because there are few able to teach !;
but it needs only a beginning to make the
next generation much in the advance of
this.
The boy is set at work hoeing or dig
ging, but no one explains any motive for
the act, consequently his interest in the
work does not reach beyond the mere
manipulation of the soil, and what might
become mental recreation and pleasure
is the worst kind Of drudgery. If he was
told why the soil was stirred and its effect
there would be something more than the
usual incentive for work and the lesson
would be remembered. A child should
never be allowed to do any work without
first knowing its object; and the parent
that is capable of explaining this clearly
will not be very likely to permit an i'm
proper act.
What we here call gardening may
we'll include more or less of farming, be-
cause the farmer raises plants as well as
the gardener. Neither do we believe in
combining a knowledge of gardening to
boys, for it will do girls no harm even if
they should never have occasion to use it
Let the boy begin by raising plants him
self, sowing the seeds and tending the
plants as they appear, and progress soon
becomes a constant source of delight as
well as knowledge. Begin with ANIMALS,
for they come into perfection soon, and
will not tax the patience of the child too
severely at first. A few perenn ais may
also be started at the same time, and a
few words of explanation will soon show
him the difference and how to distinguish
the two classes. Gay flowers usually at
tract most, but melons or other annual
fruits may well come in for share o
attention. One step in this direction will
lead to others, and a boy or girl who
would, under the usual course pursued
by farmers, hate gardening will become
thoroughly imbued with a love for it and
all its surroundings. The hoeing, raking,
digging and other operations in the
garden, when their use is fully explained,
become very interesting even to older
persons, but they are remembered better
if taught in youth.
If we are ever to be nation of good
gardeners or farmers we must have the
science of the thing taught to children.
Our common schools must be made more
practical and interesting to children, for
the science of every day life and its sur
roundings are full of interesting and useful
lessons, and these need to be placed fore
most, and dry, book lessons second or
last. A knowledge of how that weed by
the school-house door step grows is of
more consequence to the child than the
age Of the Egyptian Pyramids or the
height of Pompey's Pillar. We were
taught when child to repeat many
falsehood by the yard, because they were
in school books, but never had teacher
who could tell which way Lima bean
stalk turned around pole, or why it
turned at ALL Now, while farmers are
making war upon those who Cypress them,
had they not better look into the school
houses and see that their children are be-
ing taught that which shall be most use
full to them as farmers and farmers wives
-Rural Neao Yorker.