them at this age, because the influence and the association of a garden means more to them than we can tell. Each child must take an active part in the garden process, however little it may be that he can do. He inust also be taught to observe all that is done in which he cannot take a part. at this age the great lesson of the garden is a very subtle one of influence from meeting face to face the great truths of ture as they teach the lessons of life. we must give the garden to the child, but not force it on him.

It may be impossible for the average kindergarten today to surround it with a garden such as we are going to talk about, but it is one of the possibilities of the future, and in order to win it we must begin now by forming the ideal in our minds. Although few, if any, kindergartners have a thorough scientific training from the point of view of the agriculturist or the horticulturist or the botanist, yet it is possible by study and practical work to gain an increasing knowledge of plant life so that we may find what the vegetable world holds of value to the child, just as we are able to give him a start in the right direction which may lead to the appreciation of Art and Music. The best teachers have not always a large amount of knowledge, but they do have the right point of view, and the ability to learn and grow along with the child. They must have true basic principles and accurate observation together with keen insight so that the growth will be in the right direction. There are so many books and opportunities today, that no kindergartner need lack for the few principles that will make her garden a success. But the real garden work is what will bring to her the knowledge and experience of greatest value. Practical experience has proven that garden work rightly done does not add another straw to the load, but because of the exercise in the open air, and the continually active searching attitude of mind required, it becomes a stimulant and means of refreshment to the over-worked teacher. Also the companionship of children at play with Nature is a relief after the conventional

accept her freedom also, and take time to breathe and to enjoy everything about us.

The ideal kindergarten will never be without color, within or without. Even if it is a winter kindergarten in a cold climate it will have beautifully colored evergreens and bright-berried shrubs and trees attractive in color and outline surrounding it, and within not a few geraniums and begonias only, but color and sunshine in plenty. plenty. The ideal kindergarten will have a summer session for the "stay-at-homes" and for the very love of it the garden will be cared for, and the "stay-at-homes" will be the happiest people in the world. The time will come when people will realize the importance of selecting and preserving situations for school-houses and kindergartens that are naturally attractive in water and woodland scenery and undulating ground. This will be costly but education ought to cost more than anything else!

The ideal garden surrounding a kindergarten will have means for shade and for sunshine, for sand-plays and for plays on the lawn, for out-door work of every possible kind, and flowers in abundance. As for animal life we accept whatever enters into the garden life and learn from it, and we encourage birds and toads and butterflies and bees,-and many other natural occupants, but caged pets are not always as acceptable a lesson as some people think they ought to be.

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So much for the idea and the ideal. few practical hints such as are not readily found in any one volume and sometimes not in any, will be acceptable.

In a climate of winter snows, Autumn is the time to begin a garden. Then is the time to make the plan and first prepare the soil. Excavation and filling in may be necessary, or only clearing, dressing and spading. If your soil is very poor add wellrotted stable dressing. If the soil is in fair condition use other fertilizers and escape so many weeds and insects.

In making your plans, remember that the lawn and trees and shrubs make the background for the flowers, and that the flower-beds running along the borders or filling in the nooks, (not intruding on the center of the lawn), should be arranged in pretty masses of color with suitable edgings.

garten that will close in June. Plant poppy seed and other hardy annuals. Set out plants of foxglove, larkspur, sweet william, pansies and any biennial or perennial plant, because many of these bloom early in the season, and perennials give a more permanent garden than do annuals. They are expensive when bought as plants, but if the seed is sown early in the season in boxes or small beds you will have good plants by September at small expense.

Set tulip, scilla, crocus and other fall

the garden where the children can have free play, and at times be taught landscape plays. By landscape plays I mean the making of miniature landscapes with sand, stones, clay, water, grass and weeds or twigs, bricks, wooden blocks, or any other suitable material. It is a fine plan to let a group of children make a whole farm, each one making some special part of it. Toy animals might be used to make it realistic. When all is finished let the children keep their hands quiet while the kindergartner

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Entire garden-32 feet by 28 feet. bulbs, so that you may have plenty of bloom in the spring days.

When winter comes don't forsake the garden altogether, even in a cold and snowy climate; be alert to enjoy every line and color, and every possibility that lies within the garden's limits. Sometimes we have a light fall of snow, and it is fun for the children to dress warmly and have their marches on the snow where every track is traced.

If you sow annuals in the spring select. such as give abundant color and bloom, as zinnias, petunias, and nasturtiums.

It is well to have a few vegetables also, for many children have never seen the development of food from seed. Lettuce sandwiches could be made for the mothers' meeting from lettuce sown by the children. In order to obtain it early, in a climate of late frosts, start seedlings in-doors in paper flower-pots or eggshells and transplant into garden when danger from frost is over. There should always be a sand-box in

Each individual plot-2 feet by 4 feet. tells a story. In order to arouse a keen interest in Nature, and a habit of observation it is well sometimes to tell the story of a fairy so tiny that she cannot be seen by children's eyes, yet she wanders over the farm and hears all sorts of sounds and sees all kids of sights. Describe what she sees. and

s, as the hum of the bees, the brow. toad in the garden, and the various animals on the farm. Describe these things but do not give the name. Let the children guess. This kind of story may be carried on indefinitely through many lessons.

The out-door work ought to prove a stimulation to the inventive power of the teacher for there is no end to the occupations and plays that may be carried on, and while it may be well to bring some of the indoor work out to the lawn, there is plenty of material at hand which is often more neglected than it should be.

As for the actual gardening that the children themselves may do, in many cases the planting of tulip bulbs or poppy seed in the

fall and the sowing of a few seeds in the spring is all that can be expected. They might plant an edging of sweet alyssum along the hardy border. Let them start a few plants in paper flower-pots and carry them home. The garden idea ought to be driven home as much as possible, and the mothers' meetings ought to opportunities in this direction.

serve as

When the children go on walks teach them that instead of picking so many. flowers it is sometimes better to take the little plant, root and all and give it a new home in the garden.

If you have opportunity to make a real garden for children where each child has a plot of his own, this is the way to do it. Make the plots not larger than 2 ft. x 4 ft. but do not make them all singly as they are so small. Arrange them so that the depth will be two feet, (for that is as far as the child can reach), and the length four feet. Make paths not less than two feet and not more than four feet wide. Make a border and a center for the garden so that it will not lack unity.

At each plot place a stick about one inch wide and a foot long. If you have prepared the ground for planting as you should, the stick is the only tool the child needs unless you wish to provide a kneemat on which he may rest his knees while planting, and a float or small flat board for pressing the ground over the seed. Mark on the stick the name of the child on whom the plot belongs. Let the children take their places at each plot, or let them play in the sand and come to the garden one at a time. Let the child make tiny drills with the stick. Let him plant the seed, covering it and pressing the ground firmly. He may be allowed to water it sometimes, but it may need more water than he can give it. Let the child watch the growing plant and have him pull a few weeds and help to clean the. paths, but do not expect that he is going to do it all, or even one half. Nasturtium seed are especially good for kindergarten work as they are large enough for the child to handle singly and plant far apart. Radishes develop quickly and may be gathered in a few weeks.

Study the special needs of your own work. Be alive to its opportunities. Do the little that you may do, and never forget the ideal.

THE FAIRY HORSES

A TALE FROM BOSNIA
RETOLD BY LOUISE SOUVAN
New York Herald

Once three brothers were living together who were very fond of one another. The two older ones thought the youngest boy was not so clever as themselves and indeed was rather foolish. But that did not matter, for he was a very modest lad, who never spoke without being asked, never contradicted and, in fact, was satisfied with everything. On account of these qualities the brothers called him Lola.

The brothers owned a big lawn in the wood, the hay of which was put up in a hayrick. One day they noticed that the hayrick was becoming smaller and smaller. They therefore agreed to keep a lookout for the thief, and the eldest began with the night watch. He dug a hole in the rick, hid himself in it and waited. At midnight

the wood commenced to tinkle and the ground shook fiercely. The watchman at once lost courage and took to his heels as fast as he could. The same thing happened to the second brother. So Lola offered to go out into the wood.

Toward evening he took a long rope, went to the lawn, crept into the hay and waited. Midnight came and the tumult began. Such a hubdub as it was, and such stamping that the whole earth trembled. Suddenly a snow white fairy horse jumped out of the wood. It had on a silk saddle cloth and a silk suit of men's clothes over it. Quietly the horse started to eat the hay. In the meantime the lad kept peeping out of his hiding place. Then suddenly he threw the rope around the horse's neck, and there it was caught in the sling. Quickly the lad hopped out of the hay, pacified the beautiful animal and hid it in a summer stable at his home. Then he immediately returned to the lawn and hardly reached there before the noise began again. This time a charming black horse galloped out of the wood. He wore a silver saddle, over which were thrown shining silk garments.

The lad proceeded as he had before and presently was able to lead this horse also to the stable.

A third time the lad went to the wood. Again there came sounds of clattering and snorting and again a magnificent horse

who could take on horseback a ditch ten yards long.

Although the two elder brothers had very good horses they yet were afraid to try such a long jump, but they decided to go to the competition as onlookers, just to see their friends and neighbors fall headlong into the ditch.

But how they laughed on hearing their Lola suggesting timidly that he would like to try his luck at the jumping! But Lola persisted. As soon as his brothers had gone he put on the silk garments that had come with the firy horse, bestrode the white horse and got to the palace just in time to see the competitors start to go over the ditch. Each one fell into the mud, and the Sultan and spectators laughed until they could laugh no more. Quite the last Quite the last was Lola. He gave his horse the spur, and it flew over the ditch like a flint ball. All the spectators ceased to laugh when they saw that Lola had accomplished the feat, and the lad went to the Sultan and asked for the Princess' hand. The Sultan for sheer surprise, knew not what to sav. Well, there is a mighty wide road between the promise and the keeping of it, and so the Sultan said he would give his daughter to the unknown suitor only when his second daughter had also found a husband, for they should marry together.

Next day the public crier announced "the

happened as the previous day. Again the Sultan found an excuse. When Lola as a reward for having jumped the second ditch. asked for the hand of the second daughter the Sultan said that his youngest daughter must have a husband before he gave away the others, and only the hero who could take a ditch thirty yards wide should have his youngest child.

The third day the lad said nothing more to his brothers, but put on his gold garments, mounted the brown horse and also won the third princess.

The Sultan felt like the eel in a vise, but again he succeeded in his measures by saying that the two other suitors disappeared and that of course, without them there couldn't be any wedding. He would though, gladly welcome them as his sonin-laws if all would come swimming along in a boat on dry land. If not all was null and void.

The brothers also' heard this news and said to one another: "Even if we don't win the Sultan's daughters we might yet build such a boat. It can't be difficult, and it is a useful and practical thing anyhow."

They built the boat at the edge of the road, and so everybody that passed asked, "What are you doing here?" Finally they grew tired of forever answering this question and replied, "It's none of your business."

The boat was soon finished, but no matter how and what they tried neither of them could move and much less would it swim on the lawn.

Then the youngest said he would build the boat, and although the others, who were in bad humor, gave no answer he started at once with the work. Again the people passed by and asked many questions but he did not lose patience and answered everybody indefatigably. One day a very old man passed by and said: "What are you doing here, brother?" Whereupon the lad explained to him what kind of a boat he was making. "That's easy enough," said the old man. "As soon as the boat is finished you just drive in an axe upside down and say, "AJ dschende dschindscher,

JAS, E. YEATMAN HIGH SCHOOL, ST. LOUIS swim here and there!" If you want the boat to stop simply pull out the axe and it will stand still. Only do not forget to take in every one who asks for it and invite them to the wedding.

The lad obeyed the old man, and when the boat was finished he drove in the axe upside down and repeated the saying. Instantly the boat glided on as though carried by gentle waves. In turning about he noticed his brothers sadly looking after him. Immediately he pulled out the axe and the boat stopped at once. Then he fetched his brothers, for which they were very glad, and on they went, "AJ dschende dschindscher," when suddenly he noticed the three fairy horses put forth their heads longingly from their hiding places. So he So he waited until night and then he got the horses secretly upon the boat, so that they were not seen by his brothers. In the morning they proceeded on their way at last. Yet the merry voyage did not continue uninterruptedly, for at the edge of the road was lying a man who cried pitifully for food and asked to be taken in. The boat stopped, the man was taken aboard. Then again "AJ dschende dschindscher," and they went on. After a short while they

saw a mare in chains in the wood for whom the lad felt pity and so the mare was taken in, too. dschende

Well, then, again: "AJ dschindscher."

The Sultan greatly marvelled when he saw the boat sailing across the lawn. The lad, as soon as they came up to where the Sultan was standing, immediately asked if by this time he could have the princess.

"Certainly," answered the Sultan, and thought how he could get rid of this lad, who surely was the kind that when thrown in the sea comes out with a sack of sand. All of a sudden, though, he heard an awful wailing in the boat and asked inquisitively, "What's that?"

"A hungry man who never can be satisfied," replied the lad.

"Well," said the Emperor, "if this hungry man eats up bread enough to fill up my seventy ovens you may have my daughter."

The bread was brought, and overnight the hungry man had eaten up every bit of it and still lamented to be hungry.

This time the Emperor really thought he would have to give in, when suddenly the mare neighed with fearful vehemence. Delighted, the Emperor said: "You shall surely have my youngest daughter as soon as your mare eats ninety wagon loads of hay overnight.

Now, truly, this was an easy matter for the mare, not even a stalk was left over.

The good Emperor sat there like the frozen sun. While staring at the mare he heard upon the lawn below unusual neighing and tramping of horses. Three magnificent horses and upon each a fine lad, stood right under his window. All three resembled one another like eggs only the garments were different.

Just then the Empress put her head through the window and said: "If it was for the good what you did it's enough of it now, therefore, do give our daughters to these beautiful youths.'

The Emperor pretended to yield to his wife and gave his daughters to the handsome lads. Each took his girl and put her and a sack of money upon his horse. Merrily they rode home singing and shouting. The elder brothers chose Lola as the head of the family as he had been the cause of so much luck. They lived long and in great happiness and harmony, and if you don't believe it, go and ask them.