New Series, 1906. 641 



that they have buds. You will notice also that these buds are being 

 protected during the winter. 



Would it not be interesting in this winter weather to watch a potato 

 grow right on your desk? The warm room may encourage the buds to 

 begin their growth, and if you are patient you will see how the potato 

 starts its growth. Your teacher may not want you to leave the potato 

 on your desk all the time. If not, you might put your name on a slip 

 of paper and pin it to the potato; then when you are doing your other 

 work, it may be left on the window-sill or on the Nature-Study table. 



People who grow potatoes try to learn all they can about them so 

 that they will have the very best potato crop. Some of the things that 

 potato growers want to know would be interesting to young persons in 

 their study. Let me suggest some things for you to notice as you make 

 observations on the potato. 



SUGGESTIONS FOR STUDY. 



For a lesson on the potato every child should have three potatoes, 

 to be used for observation for several days ; one that you may cut open, 

 one to be kept for daily observation, and one that you may take home 

 and ask mother to cook for you. 



First, take the potato you intend to watch until it begins to grow : 

 Is its shape oval, cylindrical, regular or irregular? Is it large, medium, 

 or small ? Notice the eyes. Are they deep in the potato or shallow ? Are 

 they oval, narrow, or long? Are the eyes large or small? Are they 

 distributed all over the potato or at one end? What is the color of the 

 potato; yellowish-white, pink, or russet? Is the skin glossy-smooth or 

 dull-smooth? Notice whether the potato you have is clean. Is the skin 

 cracked or not cracked? Sometimes when a potato is placed on your 

 plate it is not good. Does the potato on your desk seem to have any 

 diseased places that you think would make it undesirable when cooked ? 



Now take the potato tliat you intend to cut. Observe the flesh. Is 

 it white, yellowish, pink, or blue? With your leaflet before you notice 

 all the above questions that can be answered by observation of the 

 potato you intend to take home to be cooked. When it is served notice 

 as you eat it whether it is soggy or mealy and whether you like the 

 flavor. Some good potatoes are spoiled in the cooking. If you find that 

 the potato is mealy and tastes good ask mother how it was cooked. 



NUTS ON THE NATURE-STUDY TABLE. 



During the autumn days many boys and girls collected nuts for the 

 Nature-Study table as they were requested to do. Now in the winter 

 you may be able to sit by the table awhile and study these nuts. If 



