^6: 



Rural School Leaflet. 



think of the "earth home" of the roots to which the name 50^7 is given, 

 as well as of the kind of seed that was planted and the air and light the 

 plant is able to get. 



In many "school yards, in city gardens, and country fields these differ- 

 ences appear. Lead the pupils to note these differences. Examine 

 the soil with a shovel if one is available and try to find why the differ- 

 ences exist. Pull up the 



plants, if you may, and 



observe the soil about the 



roots. Feel it, smell it, 



taste it, note its color. 



Compare the soil about 



the roots of one plant with 



that about the roots of 



another. If the country is 



rolling or hilly you will be 



able to find gullies washed 



out by heav^' rains at the 



bottom of which can be 



seen a miniature fan of 



inaterial sjjrcad out by the 



flood water which will be 



diflerent — usually coarser 



— from the soil near. Have 



plants taken root in this 



coarser soil? Observe how 



they differ in variety, size 



and general appearance. 



In regions of rocky out- 

 crops and gorges the plants 



will be found to change in 



appearance as these places 

 are approached. Note these changes and raise the question why. As 

 the interest is developed in the earth home of the plant we shall con- 

 sider the soil as a reservoir for food, moisture, air, and a thousand and 

 one things which unite to form the home of the plant and determine 

 its appearance, as one's home stirroundings r.nd social relations are re- 

 flected in his looks and manner. The first important idea is to realize 

 that differences in the soil are related to the plant differences and to 

 begin to ask the question why this is so. The subsequent lessons will 

 take up the soil anatomy, part by part, and examine it more closely. 



Fig. 17. — Fox tail 

 (See lesson on weeds 



Fig. 18. — Quack grass 

 (See lesson on weeds) 



