1 158 Home Nature-Study Course. 



Lesson XXI. 



THE PLANT. 



Purpose. — To lead the pupils to a closer observation of these common 

 and troublesome weeds with a view to their better control and eradication. 



Material. — A whole plant on the desk of each pupil. At the season 

 when school opens, that neighborhood would be very fortunate in which 

 there was any difficulty in finding Plantains in all stages of growth and 

 often a single plant will furnish buds, blossoms and green and ripened 

 seeds. 



A cheap lens is a great help in the study of any plant or flower. 



Observations by Pupils: 



(i). Do the Broad-leaved and Narrow-leaved Plantains in your neigh- 

 borhood live in the same soil or plant society ? 



(2). Do the Plantains grow from seed in one season, or live through 

 the winter? 



(3). Do you observe any young plants now starting to grow near the 

 large plants which have ripened seed? 



j (4). Do you know from observation how early the first Plantain flowers 

 oipen and how long the same plant continues in bloom ? What advantage 

 does such lengthened flowering season give the plant? 



(5). Is the Plantain killed or much injured by cutting or mowing? 



(6). Have- you seen any animals feeding on the leaves? 

 I (7). Are the seeds eaten by birds, and if so what kinds of birds have 

 3roa most frequently seen feeding on them? 



f Facts for teachers. — As soon as the snov/ melts away in the spring one may find 

 the Plantain's symmetrical little green rosettes in which a store of food has been 

 preserved during the winter. Such providence helps them to spring early into bloom 

 and their flowering season extends from May to October. Both speties often grow 

 in companionship, but the Broad-leaved seems to prefer the dooryard and roadside, 

 While the Narrow-leaved spreads far in meadows and pastures. The cattle feed 

 upon it without any apparent dislike, though it is stringy and somewhat bitter and' 

 is not good for the quality of the milk and butter produced. It is perennial and 

 after grazing or mowing it springs up again from its strong fibrous roots. Young 

 seedlings may be found in autumn, those from the earliest mattiring seed becoming 

 quite sturdy plants before snow-fall. Birds are very fond of Plantain seed, par- 

 ticularly of the Broad-leaved variety which is kept' by dealers for canary bird- 

 food. English sparrows. Chipping sparrows. Song sparrows, Grass finches and 

 Jimcos feed on the seeds, and must certainly be a great help in keeping the sturdy 

 ■jvccd frona overrunning the earth, 



