886 Rural School Leaflet. 



retain their leaves for p. long time, or whether the leaves drop off early 

 in the fall. 



You may be able to see some beerh trees cut down during the year. 

 You will notice that the wood is hard, hea\y, and straight-grained. 

 You will often find forests of beeches in this country. 



Out of beechwood furniture household utensils are made. Coopers' 

 wares are also made from beech wood. Can you learn of other things 

 that are made from wood of the beech? 



While you are making observations on the beech tree, I want you to 

 have in mind that persons who have made a study of trees have placed 

 them in groups because of their likenesses each to the other. Some 

 trees that do not look very much alike are nevertheless related beca,use 

 of some of their similar characteristics. I wish you would write on the 

 blackboard the following list of trees that are placed in the group with 

 the beeches. As time goes on you may for yourself find ways in 

 which these trees resemble each other. The beech is placed in the oak 

 family; therefore, related to it are oaks, birches, alders, hazelnuts, the 

 American and European hop-hornbeam, the blue or water beech and the 

 chestnut. You might mark with a cross on the blackboard all the mem- 

 bers of the oak family that you can find. 



The Wayside Blossom. In the lesson on weeds which your teacher 

 will give you this month you will find many wayside plants. Among 

 others I hope you may find the Impatiens, also called touch-me-not, 

 and jewel weed. On page 3 you will see the picture of one kind of Im- 

 patiens which is called the pale touch-me-not. The blossom of this 

 plant is pale yellow. You may find growing near it another species of 

 the same plant that has a deeper color and is spotted which gives it the 

 name of the spotted touch-me-not. If you find these two species, com- 

 pare them. Note the stems and tell how they differ from some other 

 plants. Are the leaves toothed? Describe the flower as to color and 

 shape. How long is the spur in the flower? Pinch the end of the seed 

 pod and note how the seeds fly out. Why is this method of sending out 

 its seeds good for the future of impatiens plants? In what kind of soil 

 and in what places do you find the touch-me-not growing ? What insects 

 do you find about the touch-me-not? 



