TEACHER'S LEAFLETS 



FOR USE IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 



PREPARED BY 



THIRD EDITION. 

 No. 5. 



JUNE 1, 1897. 



THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, 

 CORNELL UNIVERSITY, 



ITHACA, N. Y. 



Issued under Chapter 128 



of the Laws of 1897. I. P. ROBERTS, Director. 



Some Tent-Makers. 



BY ANNA BOTSFORD COMSTOCK. 



It is unfortunate that there is, throughout the country, a 

 prevailing disHke for the small creatures called "worms." This 

 dislike is, in most instances, the result of wrong training and is 

 by no means a natural instinct. As evidence of this, witness the 

 joy with which the small boy or even the small girl, handles 

 "bait" when preparing to go fishing; although of all common 

 "worms" surely the angle- worm is least attractive from any point 

 of view. A still more striking example is the hardihood with 

 which young fishermen catch the "dobson" to use as a lure for 

 Ijass, — for the "dobson " is not only very ugly in appearance but 

 is also vicious, often pinching severely the careless fingers of its 

 captors. Thus the dislike for insects being the result of the point 

 of view, it should be the first duty of the teacher to remove this 

 repulsion. In the lesson which follows there is no occasion for 

 teacher or pupil to touch the insects unless they choose to do so ; 

 but an attempt is made to arouse an interest in the habits and 

 ways of insect life. If we can succeed in arousing the child's 

 interest in the actions of a caterpillar, he will soon forget his dis- 

 like for the "little brothers" which live upon foliage and which 

 experience miraculous changes of form during their short lives. 



In selecting the Apple-tree Tent Caterpillar for this first lesson 

 upon insects, we have been guided by the following facts: First, 

 it is to be found in early spring; second, its life-history from 



