place of study.

And if the school premises are now too small in extent to admit of
such a use, let the pupils make an earnest plea for additional ground.
As a general fact our school-grounds have been shamefully limited in
extent and neglected as to their use and keeping. The school-house, in
itself and in its surroundings, ought to be one of the most beautiful
and attractive objects to be seen in any community. The approach from
the street should be like that to any dwelling house, over well kept
walks bordered by green turf, with trees and shrubs and flowers
offering their adornment. Everything should speak of neatness and
order. The playground should be ample, but it should be in another
direction and by itself.

Europeans are in advance of us in school management. The Austrian
public school law reads: "In every school a gymnastic ground, a garden
for the teacher, according to the circumstances of the community, and
a place for the purposes of agricultural experiment are to be
created." There are now nearly 8,000 school gardens in Austria, not
including Hungary. In France, also, gardening is taught in the primary
and elementary schools. There are nearly 30,000 of these schools, each
of which has a garden attached to it, and the Minister of Public
Instruction has resolved to increase the number of school gardens and
that no one shall be appointed master of an elementary school unless
he can prove himself capable of giving practical instruction in the
culture of Mother Earth. In Sweden, in 1871, there were 22,000
children in the common schools receiving instruction in horticulture
and tree-planting. Each of more than 2,000 schools had for cultivation
from one to twelve acres of ground.

Why should we be behind the Old World in caring for the schools? By
the munificence of one of her citizens, New York has twice offered
premiums for the best-kept school-grounds. Why may we not have Arbor
Day premiums in all of our States and in every town for the most
tasteful arrangement of school-house and grounds? These places of
education should be the pride of every community instead of being, as
they so often are, a reproach and shame.

TREES IN THEIR LEAFLESS STATE.

As the season for Arbor Day and tree-planting comes on, just before
the buds begin to swell and are getting ready to cover the trees with
a fresh mantle of leaves, it is well--as it is also when the leaves
have fallen from the trees in autumn--to give attent