534 Home Nature-Study Course. 



Observations by the pupils: 



1. What is the general shape of the leaf? That is, how is it lobed 

 and veined ? Is the number of lobes the same on all the leaves ? 



2. Is the leaf smooth, rough or bristly? Is there a difference in 

 color and texture between the upper and under surfaces? 



3. Is the leaf-stem hollow or solid? Ridged or smooth? In cut- 

 ing it across do you see any strengthening fibers that would help it to 

 uphold the broad leaf? Have you ever seen or made a pumpkin-leaf 

 trombone ? 



4. How are the leaves arranged on the vine, opposite or alternately? 



5. Where do the tendrils spring? Are they branched or single? 

 Do they twine left to right, right to left, or both ways? 



6. Is the main trunk of the vine solid or hollow, ridged, smooth or 

 bristly? 



Facts for the teacher. — Pumpkins leaves are mostly three and five-lobed, and 

 dark, dull green. The whole plant is rough and bristl}-. It is a very thirsty plant 

 and its forests of bristling hairs enable it to catch and retain more dew and other 

 moisture and also enables it to preserve the moisture from loss by radiation better 

 than if it were smooth. 



Emphasize the principle in mechanics that a hollow tube will bear greater 

 stress than the same amount of material in a solid cylinder, and that it is 

 exemplified in the pumpkin-leaf stem. 



The leaves are arranged alternately and the blossoms and tendrils spring from 

 their axils. The branching tendrils twine in all directions, sometimes twisting 

 backward into knots. 



LESSON X. 



THE FLOWERS. 



Purpose. — To help the child to see that often very common things 

 are exceedingly beautiful ; also to know how necessary is the help of 

 insects to some plants as pollen-carriers. 



Material. — A staminate and a pistillate blossom. 



Observations by the pupils: 



1. Describe as well as you can the shape, color and veining of one of 

 the flowers. 



2. Do you see any difference between the two blossoms? 



3. On which will the fruit begin to grow? 



4. What, then is the use of the other flower? 



5. The golden vases are deep and held upright. How is pollen to 

 pass from one to the other? 



Facts for the teacher. — If pumpkin blossoms were rare and difficult to grow, 

 they would be cultivated for their beauty alone. Note the clear, golden color, the 

 veining, and the graceful curves of the five-lobcd corolla. Call attention to the 

 long and slender stem of the staminate flower, and the short and sturdy one of 

 the other, with its little puilipkin all ready to l)cgin growing, as soon as the seeds 

 arc wakened to growth by help of pollen from its neighbor blossom. Show that 



