January, 1900. 



Junior-Naturalist Montlily. 



Issued by the College of Agriculture and Experiment Station of Cornell University, 

 under Chapter 430 of the Laws of 1899, of the State of New York. 



Entered at tbe Post Office at Ithaca, N. Y., as second class matter. 

 Vol. I. CORNELL UNIVERSITY, ITHACA, N. Y. No. 4 



OXYGEN AND CARBON IN PARTNERSHIP. 



The stories told of the power of fairies, sprites and elves are the 

 source of never-ending interest to boys and girls. I remember the 

 days when I rejoiced in the victory which Cinderella had over her 

 haughty sisters. How wonderful in my mind was the fairy who 

 transformed the lowly maiden into a beautiful princess, a pumpkin 

 into a chariot and four tiny mice into prancing steeds ! 



In your study of nature, I want you to learn something of the 

 unseen forces that are about us all the time ; forces as great, as 

 powerful and as swift in transformation as could possibly be exerted 

 by a fairy wand. These forces are with us every day. It is true 

 we cannot see or hear them, taste or smell them, nevertheless they 

 are ever present — as strong as the greatest monster, as powerful as 

 the mightiest engine. 



This is especially true of a life-giving element with which each 

 Junior Naturalist should become familiar. If an unusual amount of 

 it gets into the blood, it will make it tingle ; your eyes will brighten 

 and your cheeks turn red, and sometimes it will send you skipping 

 along the path as though the ground were hot beneath your feet. 

 Without it all animal life would cease to exist ; no fires would burn ; 

 all things would fade and die. 



I fancy if I should call this element " Hokey Pokey," you would 

 be much better pleased than if I should give you the name by which 

 the chemist knows it, for then you might think of it as some 

 amusing little sprite. As you are to be young naturalists, however, 



597 



