5o8 Home Nature-Study Course. 



of the beans than in others. At the same time these beans were planted 

 in sawdust some should be planted in pots of earth, so that they may 

 grow in the schoolroom window and the plant be studied. Some of those 

 grown in the sawdust may be pulled up at different stages to see what 

 is happening to them. 



References. — "First Studies of Plant Life," pp. 12-15; "Plants and 

 Their Children," pp. 96-99 ; " Cornell Nature-Study," Leaflets, p. 460 ; 

 United States Department of Agriculture Bulletin 121, Beans, Peas and 

 Other Legumes as Food. 



LESSON LXX. 

 bean plant. 



Pj-cliininary Work. — This should be a study made in September before the 

 beans are harvested, and should' be made in connection with gardening. 



Purpose. — To familiarize the children with the leaves and the 

 peculiarities of growth of the bean plant. 



Pull a plant up by the roots and notice the kind of root and how far 

 it goes into the soil ; notice the stems, whether they be rough or smooth ; 

 notice that the leaves are borne in such a manner that each leaf is exposed 

 to the sunlight. An interesting fact to note is that the bean leaf is 

 compound, formed of three leaflets. Note the common petiole or leaf- 

 stem of these leaflets which comes o^ from the main stem ; note also that 

 each leaflet has a little stem of its own with stipules. A leaf should be 

 carefully drawn, and if several varieties of beans be studied the differ- 

 ences in their leaves should be noted. If the bean be of a climbing 

 variety, note that it twines, the stem forming a spiral around the support ; 

 note if the spiral is always in the same direction. 



LESSON LXXL 



THE BEAN FLOWER AND POD. 



Purpose. — To make the child familiar with the development of the 

 pod from the flower. 



Compare the flower of the bean to that of the sweet pea, Lesson 

 XXVL Home Nature-Study Course, 1906. In studying the unopened 

 pod note its upper and under seams, and see if they are of the same 

 length. Open the pod and note where the seeds are attached. Notice 

 whether the seam to which the beans are attached opens as easily as the 

 other. Note that the pod is rough outside, and has a smooth, satiny 

 lining, and that you can separate the outer from the inner layer. Let the 

 pod dry and split it, and note whether each side curls in a spiral. Experi- 

 ment to see whether the beans are thrown out when the pod springs apart. 



