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THE GUIDE T< ) NATURE 



The student receives a set of [25 speci- 

 mens, dry and in fluid, as material for 

 laboratory work. Fifty of these are type 

 plants, representing as man) different 



natural families of ferns, fern allies and 

 seed plants, arranged in ascending order 

 of development. These are mounted up- 

 on standard herbarium sheets, and may 

 be used for reference indefinitely, since 

 duplicate parts for analysis are supplied. 

 Of the remaining seventy-five specimens, 

 some are mounted upon herbarium 

 sheets others are in envelopes, and the 

 balance in preserving fluid. The dry ma- 

 terial illustrates a wide range of plant 

 form not shown in the type specimens, 

 and the material in fluid is mainly dupli- 

 cate flower and fruit parts of certain of 

 the type plants. 



The lessons consist largely of ques- 

 tions, the answers to which are obtained 

 by examination of the specimens. A few 

 of the questions are designed to bring 

 out the student's understanding of the 

 brief text matter. Through these ques- 

 tions, the principles of morphology 

 (forms), physiology (life processes), 

 ecology (relation to surroundings) and 

 systematic botany (classification) are de- 

 veloped, and there are concluding exer- 

 cises in descriptive analysis. The queries 

 may all be answered by simple processes 

 of observation and reduction, and the 

 drawings required are merely outline 

 sketches, such as may be made by one 

 with no artistic talent. No previous 

 knowledge of botany on the part of the 

 student is assumed. 



The exercises on the lesson papers are 

 to be returned for correction in five sets, 

 in large envelopes supplied for the pur- 

 pose. While the first set is being cor- 

 rected the student continues working 

 upon the second. 



A simple, mounted lens of some sort, 

 leaving the hands free for use, is desir- 

 able but a hand magnifier will suffice. 

 The instructor can supply a mounted 

 lens suitable for the work, for fifty cents. 



The length of time required for the 

 completion of the course depends largely 

 upon the ability of the student and the 

 time per day occupied in study. Three 

 months may be stated as an average. 



The fee for membership in the course 

 is ten dollars ($10.00), which includes 

 all expenses except blank paper, which 

 may be obtained at any stationery store. 



The fee may be reduced by Chapters 

 of the Agassiz Association and by other 

 local classes of two or more persons. 

 The students work from a single set of 

 specimens, but forward their papers sep- 

 arately for correction. The fee is $4.00 

 for every additional student. Thus, the 

 individual fee for two students is $7.00; 

 for three students, $6.00; for four stu- 

 dents, $5.50; for five students, $5.20. 

 Expressage on the specimens is not pre- 

 paid. 



The course is open for membership 

 indefinitely after January I, 1910. 



Address correspondence to the instruc- 

 tor. 



Alex. E. Wight, 

 Wellesley Hills, Mass. 



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I The La Rue Holmes Nature Lovers League I 



By George Klingle, Summit, New Jersey 



"The Guide to Nature" is the official organ of the LaRue Holmes Nature League. It is im- 

 portant, for the general League interest, that the magazine be liberally supported, through the active 

 cooperation of League members — George Klingle. 



L. H. Nature League Motto: "Self-sacrifice; heroism for another." 



The prize for the best essay on the 

 subject, "Birds Nearing Extermina- 

 tion," was awarded to Alfred Kinsey, 

 of South Oransre. 



The passage of the Audubon Anti- 

 plumage bill by New York state is a 

 source of pleasure to all who under- 

 stand the economic value of birds, 



All records of bird migrations and apart from their appreciation of their 



records of wild flowers of spring and beauty and song. The failure of the 



early summer should be sent in by New Jersey legislature to pass the bill 



June 30. is a blot on the state, already bearing 



