The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-12-07
INTERESTING MEETING OF
MOTHERS AND TEACHERS

aDout him, to see the great struggle Of
plants and animals for existence, their
adaptations 20 meet ever changing con-
diIions under which they are forced -
live, If ne realizes that every plant and
every animal has a distinct, individual
life to live, and becomes acluaintei with
the nfe-history of that plant and animal
is he not better fitted to solve the prob
lens in his own life? One thing is GER
tain-he has been placed in sympathy
with the outside world and every life
needs sc metime the comfort that only
nature can give
Prof Bailey of Cornell University says
that nature-study consists of two things
seeing what you look at and drawing
proper conclusions from what you see
That is in this study child is taught
to observe accurately. and then correctly
interpret what he sees. He learns to dis
tinguish the true from the false
We have decided not 20 consider the
animals CT the wild plants as objects for
nature-study, but wish this afternoon
20 discuss the growing of cultivated
plants as a means of observation along
this line. What plants shall we grow?
1t may be a cabbage, or it may be tee
rose; 1t may be an onion. or ii may be-
a lily of the valley. Whatcve the plant
is. the object viii be to reveal to the
ch Id the life of that plant. Teach the
child to be exact in his observations-in
other words. develop a love for truth.
Every child can have garden. If there
= not a. regular garden plot or door
yard, there are porcheS and windows.
First of all, if you do not love plants /
learn 10 love them, or leave the ground
untouched Ii will grow a least weeds.
and there are persons who find pleasure
in them, who admire the sturdy, lusty
growth they make and appreciate the
good they do. Remember that plants
viii grow wherever there is sunlight and
they can find a foothold for their roots.
can imagine one person having more
successful garden in a windowbox than
another in a large door-yard filled with
choice plants and beautiful flowers.
am measuring the success on the ability
of the two persons to appreciate what
Ibey lave before then. To not place
your garden in the middle of a lawn. but
leave the unbroken stretch of green un-
touched and let the garden form frame
to your picture. Aside from destroying
=" appearance of tho lawn, the plants
will not do well as by themselves.
They should form a border along the
fence or walks. against the buildings or
in front of some trees or shrubs. Put
them iE such a place that they can be
your garden is a failure it won't be so
conspicuous in those places as II would
in the middle of the lawn
Spade the ground up deep Pick out all
of the stones and roots. If the ground
is rich and loose. no addition is neces-
sary, but if it is sandy and hard. plenty
manure should be added Show the child
that the SOL is the home of the plant |
The ground must be spaded and loosened |
in order that the seed may find a place |
to live, the air must enter in order that |
the roots may breathe. it must be loose |
in order that the roots may grow. Tho |
roots of grass and weeds are removed or !
otherwise they would grow and in the |
dispute to whom the garden belonged |
the weeds might be victorious. The soil !
furnishes food for the plant therefore |
we add the manure. This must be well /
mixed with the soil in order that all the |
plants may share alike. Just a word |
about watering the plants. Don't sprin- |
kle the plants, but water them. Water |
them well, and then keep the surface in |
a fine condition by hoeing or raking. We |
know that water exposed 10 the air |
If we could cover up the /
water We put in the soil, it would not
evaporate. We can cover it up by this |
fine layer of soil made by hoeing the !
surface. and thus we save for the use
Of the plant the water in the soil, which
il needs in order to exist. Every plant
Will have a life TO live and the object |
will be to reveal that life to the child. !
Perhaps the plants will be visited by in
sects. They may be injurious or they
may be beneficial. They may depend on
the plants for food and in turn the I
may depend on the insects to reach |
the object of their life; that is. to pro-
luce seed. We find the plants dependent |
IN the soil for food and a foothold, we
find the animals dependent on the plants
Tor food and thus discover that the plants
the great organic world with the
Inorganic.
What we want is a garden TO obtain
I we must not only work but use judg-
nent and thought in its construction and
are Failures will come. they sure
o, but the failures have as much value
n the training Of the child as the final
success after the failures have been met ,
md overcome. In later life the child
will desire something else. 1t may not
'e a garden, but success in some bust
less or profession. If he has learned to &
meet failure and profit by doing SO. he