Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-06-20


State.-James Z. Reeve, in Rarper's
Magazine.
Horticulture in the Public Schools.
Writing on the above subject, Pro-
lessor j. l.. Budd. of the Iowa Agri-
cultural College, writes to the Farm,
Field and Stocknaan as follows:
In the summer of 1862 [ had a fine
opportunity for observing the working
of this system in Austria and Prussia.
IN health from once worK, purcnaseu
farm of sixty acres at Northport,
Long Island. The second year he tried
few acres in vegetables and small
fruits, which he found sale for in the
village of Northport at most satisfac-
tory prices. was on his farm in the
summer of 1888, and l must say that
for man who had got his knowledge
almost wholly from books, his venture
looked as if it would be a complete
success" In the dairy region of south
ern central New York, where the writ
er's boyhood was passed, and where
the chief agricultural attractions con-
sist OF gently undulating landscape
Every school-yard had its flower beds
fruit trees, ornamental trees and
shrubs. And majority of them had
the little nursery where the students
were given object lessons in budding.
grating. and even marching In the
way of marching very many of the
school-yards had cherry tree with
very low-trained head. Each Spring
the students had little holiday for
gathering specimen seedlings of the
native wild cherry from the hedge row
or the hills. These were planted by
the students, under the direction of
the teacher, in a circle on the boundary
of the outer limbs of the cherry tree.
At the proper season for marching,
students are detailed in the presence
of the class, to bend down twigs of the
overhanging cherry and march them
on the stems of the plants below, and
to properly cover. the wounds. At the
proper time the class is again assem-
bled to cut the connections with the
parent tree and to remove the plants
to the little nursery, to make room for
another crop. In the lessons the ele-
mentary principles and the modes and
methods, are given Tor all the simpler
operations of the fruit, vegetable and
flower garden. To those lacking ex-
perience all this might seem a great
hindrance to advancement in the or
binary school studies. But those who
have some experience in teaching these
elementary principles in the Kinder
garten schools and in our agricultural
colleges, know that such variations are
aids rather than hindrances to general
advancement.
1t has been said that our Yankee
school children would destroy the flow
er beds and climb the young trees and
shrubs.
With twelve years experience, with
from two to three hundred students
among the flower beds, the shrubbery
plantations, the small fruit plantations,
and the orchards, have never as yet
known of any of this American ten
dency to vandalism where the students
were taught the uses of such things,
and that 'the value of all horticultural
operations was as the thought put in
them"
At the great Horticultural College
in North Silesia | met over one hum
dred of the public school teachers who
were taking lessons with a view to
more perfect fitness for their work,
and was assured that the students
, took too much interest in their pet
flowers, shrubs, trees, ETC., to injure
| them.
In this country our few Kindergar-
ten teachers will, I think, give the
same assurances.
At our Iowa institutes the question
has been asked, ''How shall we man
age to keep our boys and girls on the
! farmp"
My experience leads to the belief
that they should be interested at school
and at home in the reasons for all the
modes and methods which tend to make
home beautiful and pleasant. The
boy who acts as machine at school,
/ and in his home duties, will naturally
be attracted by the sights, hustle and
activity of the mining camp or the
city.