Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1911-07-27

SCHOOL GARDENS OF LONDON
Attempts to Grow Plants IN slnms 81
Metropolis Elicit Praise Of
American Expert

A very interesting report on Eng
fish school gardens has recently been
Issued by the United States depart
ment of agricultural as bulletin 204.
It was written BY Miss Susan 3. Sipe.
q coliaborator Of the bureau OF plant
Industry and teacher Of botany and
nature study In one Of the normal
| schools in the city OF Washington.
This report Is based upon investiga-
tons made by the author during Ell.
lropean trip. The local reader cannot
but wish that some of the unfortunate
children mentioned could be brought
to- California, where there is at last
small plat of earth for every child
In the state It is stated regarding
school in Whitechapel Qondon)
where no unoccupied ground sur
rounds: Each pupil has small
space assigned to her in the roof gar
den.. boxes. scarcely more than foot
\ square. butSeven so. more than she has
at home.
The writer regrets that lack Of
L HQdC0l IOI U1u6 l00 tORlOAuGbAOA Va
much Of value and interest to be found
in this report. but advises every one,
entrusted with the teaching of nature
study or school gardening to get this
most valuable bulletin When we read
of the futile attempts ito grow plants
| In the London slums one marvels that
our own school gardens, where man
and nature have both conspifed to rem.
der conditions unusually favorable.
are not overrun with a riotous pro-
| fusion of leaf and blossom On the
window stills in the hall were some in.
teresting though pathetic attempts OF
I the East Side children to grow plants
at home. The children were asked to
bring pots ana soil from home in which
/ to plant seeds and bulbs. The re-
Spouse proved the scarcity of such
things in their homes The teachers
then procured the material. Seeds
were given them and when vacation
came the plants were taken home to
be cared for In one pot were a half
dozen varieties of weeds. the original
plant having been choked out Of exis.
tence, but the child-owner of the pot
though them so beautiful. Stunted
and sickly merigolds and nasturtiums
gave ample proof Of the blighting eff
feet of London smoke.
Notwithstanding the hard conditions
under which they labor this school
gardening is on much broader.
grander and more comprehensive
scale than anything we attempt No
doubt there Is far greater need of It.
1 An exhibition was held in July in one
of the Whitechapel districts and there
were collections of wild flowers from
| two country schools; paintings of wild
flowers and nature studies by many
of the schools In London: collections
/ OF flowers and shrubs suitable for
growing In London parks and gar.
! dens; model back yard and garden
on reduced scale. showing what
might be done in an ordinary London
back yard at little expense; model
recreation ground "a feet square, con-
structed to illustrate the many health
/ giving opportunities which might be
introduced into public Fairgrounds
under good management and good
! planning. and many other valuable
features. 1t is said the exhibit was
visited by 10000 people, rs schools
sent In exhibitions. and altogether 1t
was great affair.