1322 



Rural School Leaflet 



Aster 



Skunk cabbage. Arum family, which also 

 includes sweet flag, calla, jack-in-the-pul- 

 pit, and other interesting plants. A large 

 number of boys and girls do not know the 

 skunk cabbage, although it i^roduces one 

 of the most interesting of the very early 

 spring blossoms. Its likeness to jack-in- 

 the-pulpit can be easily seen, since it has a 

 leaflike sheath called a spathc inside of 

 which grows the stout flower stalk, or 

 spadix. The spathe is sometimes very 

 wonderfully colored. If the children gather 

 this plant, they will recognize the odor, 

 which has been likened to that of a skunk. 

 Their attention should be called to the 

 leaves, which, in their early development, 

 are rolled tightly together forming a spike- 

 like structure beside the flower; later these 

 unfold and become very large. 



Claytonia, or spring beauty. Purslane 

 family. The claytonia, or spring beauty, 

 is one of the 



most charming of the flora of this State. 

 Children often call the hepatica or the 

 anemone spring beauty, but the name is 

 most widely given to the claytonia. It is 

 rose color, sometimes white, with deeper 

 coloring in the veining. The children may 

 be encouraged to take a few blossoms to 

 their homes and notice how long they will 

 last. Their attention should be called to 

 the way the blossoms close at night, and 

 open by day. Observations may be made 

 of the little bulblike structure at the base 

 of the leaves and of the kind of flower, 

 whether regular or irregular. Have the 

 children on the lookout for the insects that 

 visit the claytonia. 



Poppy. Poppy family. To this family 

 belong bloodroot, celandine, and other plants 

 not so well known to boys and girls. Per- 

 haps the best way to have young persons be- 

 come interested in this plant is to have them 



Milkweed 



