408 NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [12:9-Dec, 1916 



berries are ripe and fall they should sink to the bottom, they would 

 stand small chance of finding opportunity to grow ; but they float 

 about on the flooded lands, and when the floods disappear, they 

 may be left in favorable positions for germinating. 



Raisins. — The relation of raisins to grapes is not obvious to the 

 child. The wrinkled raisin with its contents of crystallized sugar 

 does not suggest a plump, juicy grape. Yet, if the raisin is 

 studied with relation to its stem, the likeness will be very evident. 

 A Malaga grape should be taken as a type of raisin grape. Note 

 that it has a thin skin which does not slip off the pulp ; the pulp 

 is very solid and contains four seeds in its center; these are bell- 

 shaped with the small ends nearest the stem. Compare these 

 seeds with the raisin seeds. Correlated with this study should 

 be reading lessons on the raisin industry of California where tons 

 of grapes are spread on trays in the vineyards to dry in the hot sun. 

 Malaga also is a famous country for producing raisins and a 

 geography reading lesson on southern Spain will add much to the 

 interest of this lesson. 



FOURTH GRADE 



The Norway Spruce. — This tree in its young stages is a popular 

 Christmas tree in Europe. In fact it is grown as a Christmas 

 tree and at present there are plantations of it in this country for 

 the same cheerful purpose. It is one of our most common and 

 ornamental trees and will repay the effort of making its acquaint- 

 ance. Lessons on it should extend over several days, the teacher 

 asking for a few observations upon it at a time. Obs. i, 2, 3, 4, 5, 

 p. 798 are each long enough for a single lesson. In connection 

 with this study should be read stories of Norway and the Alps to 

 give the pupils a background of the native haunts of this tree. 

 If possible the Norway Spruce should be compared with the native 

 spruces. It would be well to compare the Norway Spruce with 

 the hemlock as suggested for the Third Grade. 



Winter Study of Birds' Nests. — This should not be merely a 

 study of structure and material. It should lead to an interest 

 in the birds that made the nest and inspire the pupils to become 

 acquainted with them and their ways. Collections of nests, 

 gathered in winter, make an interesting addition to the school- 

 room. Each nest when brought in should be labeled as follows: 

 where found; if in a tree, what kind and how high from the 



