The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-08-24
Avenue and Perry Street.

meantime be gradually led to this work
by being given some preliminary instruc-
lions. particularly in the direction of home
training.
my idea is to combine the purely useful
to a certain extent with the aesthetic;
that is, see no necessity for having the
child limited entirely to the growing or
useful plants, nor is it desirable that he
should expend his energies in caring for
purely ornamental things. A child should
be SO trained to appreciate plants growing
naturally that the purely artificial meth
DDS now in use in many cases should nave
little place in his mind
There is more beauty in natural
bunch of golden rod, tuft of asters, or
a clump of violets, If properly looked for,
than in any of these formal designs winch
bewilder the eye Of the ordinary observer.
The purely natural state should be en-
couraged and the child taught to see more
beauty in this than IN artificial forms. Z.
Indoor Nature Study.
LAS to the practical lines of this work
they may be summarized briefly as fol-
lows: Each school room should be fur
nished with about ten of the ordinary
eight-inch saucers used by gardeners Tor
setting their flower pots in. II these are
not procurable, small square boxes VIII
answer. Select the seeds of number
of ordinary plants, such as beans, peas,
corn, oats, rye, wheat, barley. caooage,
lettuce, oucumbers, etc. Divide the chill
dren of each room into groups ana make
each group responsible for the seeds
intrusted to them. Sand may be used
in the saucers and the seed planted from
time to time therein. II Kept properly
moistened the seed will grow to con-
siderable size-large enough, in fact, TO
make it practicable to observe many In
teresting points in connection with their
growth.
the changes which take place in the ger
mir nf the seed. note the dlnerence
in the way the various seedlings emerge
from the sand, notice the difference IN
the way growth takes place, watch now
the seed leaves appear, make notes on the
developments of the roots-in fact, see
all that is to be seen from the time the
seed is placed in the sand until 1t Is
ready to be taken out and new lot
inserted To make observations it will,
of course, he necessary from time to time
to uproot the plants; consequently the
seeds should be supplied quite generously.
several hundred seed to each pot should
be allowed if possible. Children soon
learn from this experience how seeds
grow, how long it requires seed to ger
inmate under certain conditions. They
should be taught to watch the temper 4
ture, moisture. etc. and in doing TINS
they become familiar with many facts
as to ne effects of heat, moisture and
light upon the plants themselves. They
see the work of forces they do not un-
derstand and are led to inquire in regard
eAStNNN
| to describe the various changes from time
to time which take place in the particu-
lar seed they are watching.
In addition to the foregoing, there are
certain classes OF seed that might be
grown indoors which might be brought
to full maturity. For instance, the jap
anese morning glory plant, which gives
very beautiful flowers, and can be grown
readily in pots and which, as soon as 1t
becomes potbound bagins to bloom.
Flowers for Every Child.
Each child in the school will be given
a package of flower seed containing hve
I varieties. This the child may take home
and plant as he secs fit, the understand
ing being that the flowers and vegetables
be cared for as carefully as possible and
all the work and supervision be done by
the child alone. Each child will also be
given a package Of unnamed mixed noYer
seed. The childEan will be given instruc-
lions as how to plant these seeds. as
well as the care of them, and when the
autumn comes they will be required to
bring a report of the progress as well
as samples of the flowers and vegetables
they have succeeded in growing. They
should also be asked to pick out and
name as many of the mixed flowers as
possible.
1T should be arranged to have one,
or possibly more than one. day in each
session set aside for the agricultural eX-
hibit of the schools, and even in the
crowded cities this could be done with
| satisfactory results. If conducted prop
erly this will teach the reward of labor,
will encourage the children to plant for
themselves, during the summer months
will keep them employed in their gardens,
and will create within them a love of
| home, which is the first step toward up
| lifting and strengthening a generation.
Trees Also to be Given.
Each child will be given young tree
and will be instructed to take 1t home and
plant 1t in his own way. There will, of
course, be some general information gu