Teachers' Leaflet. 557 



One may wonder why fall bulbs begin to develop foliage, and some 

 like snowdrops and crocuses have flowers — the prelude to seeds — when 

 the snov/ is in the air. All have closed their career of motherhood by 

 Decoration Day. In comparison as to time many plants have just 

 awakened to realize that winter is past. The condition of temperature 

 during the month of April is such that there is no bacterial and chemical 

 action in the soil to develop plant food, and sustain the activities that go 

 on in a tulip or a hyacinth or a crocus at that time. The answer lies in the 

 fact that in the bulb is a store of starch that sustains its growth. This 

 growth is largely independent of plant food in the soil. It must, how- 

 ever, depend on the soil for the plant food to manufacture and store away 

 food for use in the coming spring. Bulbs which have spent a winter in 

 mdoor blooming have become so depleted of starch that they cannot be 

 used in pot culture again. They may, however, be planted in the open 

 ground where a partial recovery will take place and the bulb will give an 

 impaired bloom for a number of years after. 



I have written the above witli a picture before me of a group of boys and girls, 

 who because of age or scant opportunity, have but little, perhaps no knowledge of 

 plants and the pride of ownership of flowers, particularly those that have made their 

 way by their individual efforts. For such children the simplest and straightest path 

 to successful results must be chosen, and complications must be avoided as much as 

 possible. For that purpose there is nothing better than the fall bulbs that I have 

 mentioned. Some of the time in this picture there has been a teacher standing 

 before the group. She was one of the heaven-born kind who can illuminate even 

 the multiplication table. During some restless five minutes, she has stopped the 

 routine of the school-room and takc-n a canvass of her pupil's knowledge of those 

 flowers ihat bring cheer in the early spring. She was giving herself a rest by 

 ■getting her pupils to talk about what they know of flowers and a lot of things they 

 guess at, for with children guessing and imagining go for knowledge. I seemed 

 to see hands fly up in the air, some clean, and some not so clean, with here and 

 there an impatient jerk on the part of a child who had a burning thought which 

 must be expressed for fear of a conflagration. This heaven-born teacher — -God 

 bless her — has thus inspired and instructed and started brewing a ferment of 

 enthusiasm and ambition in the children to possess flowers "all their very own." 

 I can understand the profound consideration on their part when they name their 

 favorites. 



I do not advocate donations in obtaining the bulbs for planting in such a 

 school. Every one of these pupils should become good American citizens and 

 learn to stand on their own feet and despise a beggar. If any friend to the 

 cause wishes to give aid, let it be done in a way that the children may help them- 

 selves. This teacher of mine who can do many things that some crowned heads 

 in pedagogy cannot do, will give best advice as to what bulbs the children had 

 best choose to purchase with -their pennies. She will also know best where the 

 planting shall be done, whether on the school-grounds or at their homes. When 

 conditions are equal, I prefer the home. 



At times tliere was another woman in my picture. She was the wife of the 

 village pastor and sometimes her husl)and has had charge of the Crossroads 

 Church — the l»uilding that stands on a knoll bleak and bare and with horse sheds 

 in the rear. She has the genius to make a cent carry the burden of a nickel. 



