748 Rural School Leaflet. 



5. As soon as the plants begin to run or climb, make supports for 

 them with chicken wire or brush. A trip to the woods for underbrush 

 would make a good nature-study excursion, and a very attractive support 

 might be found for the sweet peas. 



6. If the season is dry, thoroughly soak the soil once each week. 



7. Gather the blossoms as soon as they open, and you will prolong 

 the season of blooming. 



8. In planning for a place for your sweet peas be sure that you do not 

 put them in the middle of a piece of ground. They will look far better if 

 they have a background. Sow the seeds, therefore, near a fence, if 

 there is one in your schoolyard. Remember that flowers need a back- 

 ground. Later in the year you may be able to plant some kinds near 

 the building. 



As soon as possible ask the teacher whether you may have a clean- 

 ing-up day, so that you may put the schoolyard into neat condition. 

 You can bring rakes from home, and I am sure you will enjoy getting 

 rid of all old rubbish, sticks, and stones that make many schoolyards 

 unsightly. 



BIRD NOTES 

 Not far away there is a large open field in which 

 some time during the month of March I shall hear 

 the flute-like notes of the meadow lark. His song 

 is clear and ringing and very sweet. I associate this 

 meadow bird with the first smell of the earth, with 

 the first touch of green in the landscape, and 

 iM^ibf with the gold of the dandelion. As soon as I 

 ^^W w' think the little songster has come. I shall fol- 

 ^^^'^ low the path through the meadow hoping to hear 

 Fig. 62. — Meadowlark. him sing. 



Let us take the meadow lark as one of the birds for study this month. 

 We shall also try to learn something about cowbirds, and more about the 

 bluebird. In looking for these birds you will be sure to see others and 

 hear their spring songs. I shall, therefore, give a list of the birds, com- 

 prising the spring migration, so that you may begin to take an interest 

 in all of them. The only way to know birds is to watch and listen when- 

 ever you are out of doors. If you see one this spring that is unknown to 

 you, study it carefully. Look over the list of the spring migration given 

 below, and try to find descriptions of the birds in some book on the sub- 

 ject. Always make your field observations accurately as to size (com- 

 pared with the robin), color, manner of flight, and the like. You will 

 then be better able to compare the bird with the printed descriptions. 



