208 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



development we began to pull up the tiny plants, but my little 

 girl protested so sincerely that we yielded to her wish. This re- 

 vealed to us with what tender love a child may regard even a plant, 

 and we felt the importance of respecting this attitude. More and 

 more we got away from the method of collecting specimens. We 

 were even careful not to tear apart the flowers we gathered in order 

 to learn their parts. We went to the plant and studied it where it 

 grew, and we directed the children's attention to those things that 

 nature herself revealed to the eye. It must be borne in mind that 

 our children were young. The oldest was but six years old when 

 we began this work. Because of their youth we made use of the 

 simplest and commonest things and called their attention to only the 

 most striking features. 



Probably the plant that the children received the most enjoyment 

 from was the dandelion. They were interested in the notched leaf. 

 They were pleased with the appearance of the flower-bud, that 

 looked like baby's fist. One day when there was a mass of bloom 

 we went out among the flowers, and there we saw the honey bee, the 

 bumble bee and the butterfly going from blossom to blossom sipping 

 honey dew. We saw how the flower stem lengthened as the seed 

 developed in an apparent effort to place it in a position to catch the 

 breezes. Then there appeared the dainty seed-ball — and what child 

 is there that is not delighted with it ! Then, too, there was the indi- 

 vidual seed to be seen with its tiny sail spread that the wind might 

 carry it to a new home. The children seemed to regard the wind 

 with a feeling of gratitude as they watched it scattering the seed 

 broadcast. 



As the seed was the thing in which the children seemed most 

 interested, we let that be a starting point for a more extended study. 

 We looked for other seeds with sails, and there was the thistle and 

 the milk-weed. Then we sought for other ways nature had provided 

 for the distribution of her seeds. 



This caused the children to make observations on their own 

 account. We were very careful to encourage them in this and often 

 stopped in the midst of our work and went with them, that we might 

 give proper attention to their discovery. 



■ In connection with this study we often read or repeated little 

 verses or poems to the children that related to the bird, plant, in- 

 sect or phenomena of nature under consideration. How this fellow- 

 ship of nature caused the poem to touch their hearts and enabled 

 them to appreciate its beauty, as they could not had not their hearts 



