45Q POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



who were instrumental in the establishment of the school and the 

 preparation of the course of study. 



The pupils brought in many wild plants, and the fleshy roots of 

 biennials — turnips in variety, carrot, parsnip, radish, beet, onion 

 (bulb), cabbage, etc. In planting, they took turns in digging the 

 holes and placing the plants in position. Observations were made 

 during the flowering season. The structure of the flowers of the 

 cruciferous and umbelliferous plants was studied, and the nature 

 of biennials was revealed. Other economic plants, such as the 

 potato, the tomato, and the gourd, were raised to show the individual- 

 ism of plants. 



A square yard of ground was assigned to each of the ordinary 

 grains — wheat, rye, oats, barley, and buckwheat. The first four, 

 being most important members of the grass family, were especially 

 interesting in their development. After that, grains meant more to 

 the pupils. 



Nineteen species of wild asters were planted in one row. Ten 

 of the finest flowering kinds formed another row. Later it was dis- 

 covered that those plants blossomed the most profusely which sprang 

 from seeds scattered at random around trees and beside rocks and 

 fences. 



In the fall, seed vessels were collected for study in winter, and 

 bulbs, corms, and tubers were stored away for spring planting. 



Each member of the highest class had a particular plant to take 

 care of and study. He dug around and watered it, took off all dead 

 leaves and unseemly branches, and tied it up. Then he sketched its 

 characteristic parts- — flower, leaf, stem, habit of growth, etc. — and 

 took such written notes as would enable him to write an account of 

 his plant and illustrate it with appropriate drawings. On one 

 occasion each of the thirty-two members of the class studied his own 

 clump of asters, there being just clumps enough to go around. The 

 importance of seeing and studying plants growing in large masses 

 is not likely to be overestimated if interest and thoroughness in learn- 

 ing about them are desired. Comparatively, a single cut specimen 

 in hand means but little. 



By the aid of the boys a fernery was made in an angle of the 

 school building on the north side, in a shady, sheltered position. 

 They took handcarts into the woods half a mile distant and collected 

 leaf-mold, which they mixed up thoroughly with loam and sand, 

 and then assisted in taking the ferns from scattered places in the 

 garden and locating them by genera in the fernery. The name of 

 each species was written on a flat stick, which was stuck into the 

 ground near the specimen to which the name belonged. 



Seeing what one teacher had done, another, by means of a 



