tlie buds on the branch. "Watch them through the spring and sum- 

 mer. Note the number tliat become branches. You will tlien 

 know that nature prunes the trees. 



If you think a minute, you will see that pruning is necessary in 

 the plant world. Suppose that a branch lias thirty buds, and every 

 bud should produce thirty branches, each of which in turn should 

 produce thirty more, do you think there would be any room left in 

 tlie world for boys and girls 'i Would a tree be able to hold so 

 many branches? 



A CASTLE MADE OF PAPER. - 



Probably in most schoolrooms in the State there is a hornet's nest 

 which some boy or girl has brought to show the teacher. It is 



usually hung up on the wall or used 

 as an ornament on top of the book- 

 case. Let us take it down some day 

 during this month and learn some- 

 thing: about it. 



Do you think that the 

 nest can be called a cas- 

 tle ? Why not? Look inside. Is 

 it not several stories high ? Are 

 there not spacious galleries in it ? Is 

 it not as well guarded when the 

 wasps are at home as if an army of 

 soldiers stood outside? 



Let us see how this castle is built.. 

 You have heard that wasps were the first paper niakers. In the 

 early sunnner you will see them around wood that has been worn by 

 the weather. They take off loose fibres and by means of their 

 mouth-parts work them into pulp. Do you think the rain can get 

 through this paper ? Find out whether it is waterproof. 



Some of the nests made by Yespa, as the hornets or yellow-jackets 

 are called, are very large. Do you think a wasp could make one 



458 



The paper rasile. 



