The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-04-21

.,,Ineed to visit neighbering farms to
tees wrote letters to the government
manufacturers for fullest information
on gardening. The woods were ex-
plored for their deepest beds Of humus.
Then the boys turned carpenters.
Making hotbeds meant learning Of
board measure. for every step in their
making was to be gone through very
thoroughly by each boy.
Immediately the boys were confront
cd with the measurement of trape-
zoids, for the ends of the hotbeds must
slant. There was the calculation of the
number Of board feet needed for the
put them together, the amount of glass
and putty needed for glazing. Orders
for materials must be drafted and ap-
proved by the teacher.
What textbook could interest boys
as did this. their practical job?
The cooperation of the woodshop,
mechanical drawing department and
farm was next enlisted, and plans were
drawn up In class time for fnal oper-
atoms.
The boys dug the pits, sorted and
sifted the fertilizers, built the bases for
the frames, made new frames, repaired
painted their finished work. Then they
set seed for early garden produce and
returned to their major work on the
gardens.
A field was selected back of a wood
land lot, orders were obtained from
the farm for it's blowing with the big
tractor on which some of the older
and the trigonometry class was re~
quested to survey the field in accord
with plans furnished by the grade boys
The seniors had their smile at this
businesslike proposal from the kids,
but they were game for fun and did
their part thoroughly and well.
Then came class debates as to details.
The following propositions were up,
first in the form OF questions, and then
drawn up as a working plan approved
by the majority and sanctioned by the
teacher, who was given the role of
manager: szvs- Egg
Here is the general plan of the gar
dens:
l: Standard size of gardens shall be
20 by 80 feet.
2. Gardens shall be grouped so each
owner can have easy access to his plot
without trespassing.
3. Gardens to be carefully laid out
and numbered, then assigned by lot.
A. Each boy to have a separate gar
den for which he alone is responsible
There shall be no partners.
5. Persons, however, may cooper
ate with each other.
6. After allotment is made, persons
may exchange plots in order that con-
genial co-operators may be near each
other, provided the manager approves.
T.. Each person furnishes, through
requisition to manager, his own hoe
and rake and seeds.
8. All other tools needed will be
furnished by the school.
9. What, how, when to plant and
how to cultivate shall be determined
by each boy on the advice of the man.
ager and experienced gardeners desig-
mated by the manager.
10. The manager shall select certain
work periods, probably equivalent to
not more than one three-hour work
period a week, for garden purposes.
IL. The yield from the gardens be-
comes the boys own property.
IL. The school will buy, at market
prices, whatever vegetables may be
needed, provided these vegetables be
delivered in standard lots.
Headwork with Seeds.
Next came hard headwork with the
seeds. The boys were impressed with
the fact that almost anyone could
make garden just by digging up the
ground and sowing at random, but
that successful gardening depended on