he construction of
this jardiniere So the plan is very easy to work from]

Use 1-1/4-inch brads or finishing nails. A little glue added will make a
firmer box. A much larger box after the same pattern will make a
beautiful holder for a larger plant or shrub, using, of course, thicker
wood.

Two small cleats should be nailed and glued from the inside to support
a bottom. The bottom will give better service if it does not entirely
fill the space. Let it be the proper length but allow a space of an inch
on both sides for dirt and leaves to fall through and out.

Chestnut was the wood Helena used. It was stained and later waxed and
polished. A beautiful permanent brown stain may be had on chestnut or
white oak by applying strong ammonia to it with a brush and later
sandpapering down and waxing. White wood is another good wood to use,
but a stain will have to be applied to white wood, as ammonia will not
act on it. A strong solution of permanganate of potash put on with a
brush will darken any wood; it has no fumes.

VII

IMPROVING THE SCHOOL GROUNDS

During the first days of early spring The Chief and his boy assistants
looked over the school grounds to see what should be done for its
improvement.

The school was situated on a triangular piece of land right in the fork
of two roads. The land was elevated; so much so that the building stood
on a real slope; it was practically a road bank. This slope was washed
by spring rains leaving large rocks exposed to view. The country road
was especially poor at this section. There were deep gullies in it; the
gutters were full of leaves and rock. About the school building was a
comparatively level spot covered with rock. No trees grew here; a little
grass struggled up each year, soon to lose heart and die.

"It seems to me," said Albert thrusting his hands deep down into his
pockets, "that we have our life work here."

"Not at all," announced The Chief, "this is just the sort of thing
which confronts most country schools."

Sitting on a rock The Chief gathered his clan in solemn conclave. At the
close of the conference Jay marched into the schoolhouse and wrote the
following headings on the board:

I. Constructing a wall to form an embankment.
II. Cleaning the grounds and making a lawn.
III. Planting of trees.
IV. Preparation and planting of the flower garden.
V. Cleaning and mending the road.

These headings represented the general lines o