ected with a cord, and likewise the two ends. The intersection of
the cords was the center of the plat and here a stake was driven.
Attaching a cord to this stake two feet along the cord was measured and
a small stick tied there. Using the cord as a radius, a circle was made
and the middle bed staked off. Next the three-foot path to opposite
ends was marked off, then the center one-foot path to opposite sides.
This much accomplished, spacing the rest of the plat was easy. Two
small boys, with lines and stakes, marked off the remaining portion and
when the ends were reached the measurements were found to be accurate.
The paths between the beds were next made and the ground prepared for
planting.

[Illustration: A SUGGESTION FOR RECESS HOUR]

After spading, leveling, and thoroughly pulverizing the native soil, we
added a top layer of foreign soil as a fertilizer. The latter came from
a compost heap of street sweepings which had been standing two years
and was supposed to be nutritious. As it turned out, however, this soil
contained little nutriment and was productive of more fine weeds than
fine vegetables, and it required much labor to fight these enemies.

Now came the seed-planting, which was intensely interesting to the
children. Rows twelve inches apart were marked off across the beds and
the seeds planted according to the relative height of the plants which
they would produce, those that would grow tallest being placed next to
the fence, and the rest graduating to the center; thus:--

Fence
Corn
Pole Beans
Peas
String Beans
Lettuce
Radishes
Lettuce
Parsley
Flowers

First came corn, three grains to a hill, the hills twelve inches apart.
Then pole beans, three beans to a hill and these hills separated twelve
inches. Next we planted two peas in a hill and made the hills six
inches apart. The string beans were planted just as the peas had been.
Then came a row of lettuce, next radishes, a second row of lettuce, and
last parsley. The end of the bed was left for flowers. On Arbor Day, in
the classroom, we had sown tomato and lettuce seeds in boxes, that we
might have the plants ready for transplanting when our outside soil was
in condition. The lettuce plants turned out satisfactorily, but, for
some unaccountable reason, the tomatoes were a failure. To replace the
latter, we took a corner bed in the garden, divided it into three
sections and planted tomato, onion, and ca