. Annual report of the Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station, Ithaca, Cornell University. Agricultural Experiment Station; Agriculture -- New York (State). Teachers' Leaflet. 483 SOILS FOR CHILDREN'S GARDENS. There is no doubting the plant fertility contained in clay, but because of its tenacity—its stickiness—it must be carefully tilled by the husband- man and if possible avoided by the child gardener. If the clay soil of a child's out-of-door garden is small and a supply of sand is convenient its tenacious character may be much modified by spading the sand and clay together
. Annual report of the Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station, Ithaca, Cornell University. Agricultural Experiment Station; Agriculture -- New York (State). Teachers' Leaflet. 483 SOILS FOR CHILDREN'S GARDENS. There is no doubting the plant fertility contained in clay, but because of its tenacity—its stickiness—it must be carefully tilled by the husband- man and if possible avoided by the child gardener. If the clay soil of a child's out-of-door garden is small and a supply of sand is convenient its tenacious character may be much modified by spading the sand and clay together. Rotted leaves are also helpful. It was to demonstrate this fact that I suggested the mixing of sand and clay and rolling the combination into marbles, which must prove a failure. To go much farther in this direction in the study of the formation of soils and to add another step and treat of the addition of humus, belong to higher grades than yours. If you enable the children to tell their parents that the larger part of soil is made of stone flour and they know the mi^lls where some of the grist is ground, you will have taken a good first step. In giving demonstrations of seed germination in stone flour you will find sand more desirable than clay. Why? Because it is cleaner. Why isJt cleaner? Because wet clay is sticky and is pure mud and it cannot be brushed from the clothing and hands Hke sand. All this is due to the exceedingly fine particles into which clay is divided. Grains of sand are as large as pin heads; particles of clay are even smaller than pin points. A Recipe for Sand-Pies. First get your sand and then the dishes for your pies. Egg shells may be used and are the cheapest, but not the best. Empty cans also may be used. Personally I like quart berry baskets. If the latter are used, do not fill them more than one-half or three-quarters full, for the weight of the wet sand will find the weak spots in the receptacle after three or four weeks use. The flower pot
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