New Series, 1906. 633 



the least bit sticky to the touch ; carefully I open it with a pin, and find 

 within it, not one, but a cluster of leaves, plainly visible to the naked 

 eye. These, too, are waiting for the spring to unfold and grow. 



But this is not all that the busy alder has accomplished this summer. 

 Just below, on last season's wood, hangs a cluster of green, cone-like 

 fruits, just opening their scales to the touch of Jack Frost, and scattering 

 the tiny beautiful seeds, which under the glass, look like little red kernels 

 of corn, tipped with a wee pointed horn. Fifty-four scales I count on 

 the one I hold in my hand, and there are six aments in this cluster ; if 

 each scale covers one of the fairy nuts, think of the number perfected 

 this summer by the little tree. One would think that alder bushes would 

 possess the earth. Why do they not? 



Can you tell whether the alder is particular as to the kind of soil and 

 situation in which it may grow ? 



Do you think that goldfinches, chickadees, j uncos and sparrows 

 might be able to tell why many of the seeds never sprout? 



I have said nothing about the leaves — but it will pay you to study 

 the alder tree, and then I hope you will write Uncle John what you have 

 learned from it. 



TO THE TEACHER. 



In the foregoing lessons it is hoped that the teacher will not try to 

 cover more ground than can be done well. It will be better for the 

 children to have one good Nature-Study lesson a month than to cover all 

 the work superficially. Bear in mind that Nature-Study is the study of 

 the out-of-doors. 



The Nature-Study corner represents a small laboratory. The table 

 containing out-of-door specimens will be found useful in giving the 

 children occupation when not employed with other lessons. The simple 

 handling of the specimens will be worth the while. If they learn to 

 consult Nature-Study books in connection with their specimens as sug- 

 gested in the October leaflet they will be- constantly increasing their 

 knowledge of out-of-door things. 



The lesson on the alder is too advanced for grades under the fourth 

 but will make a good lesson for fourth, fifth and sixth grades. The 

 children in the first grade should be taught to know the alder which is 

 one of the most interesting trees. They should be shown a specimen and 

 if possible the tree. Then they should notice the cones, also the catkins 

 that have been forming ready for early spring flowering. An active 

 boy of ten years would find an alder in the vicinity if shown the illus- 

 tration of it. I have experimented with this and have found that children 

 will bring me many specimens of trees and shrubs in this way. The better 



