L 



PAKAGKAPHS FOE THE TEACHER xi 



The book should be a guide to the plant : the 

 plant should be a guide to the book. 



Plants should not be personified or endowed out- 

 right with motives ; but figures of speech and para- 

 bles may often be employed to teach a lesson or to 

 drive home a point. 



Excite the pupil's interest rather than his wonder. 



The better the teacher, the less he will confine him- 

 self to the questions at the end of the lesson. 



Botany always should be taught by the "laboratory 

 method:" that is, the pupil should work out the sub- 

 jects directly from the specimens themselves. It is 

 easy, however, to carry the laboratory method too 

 far. With beginners, it is rarely good teaching merely 

 to set a young pupil a task, expecting him to work 

 it out. The pupil needs suggestions, help, and the 

 enthusiasm inspired by a good teacher. 



Specimens mean more to the pupil when he collects 

 them. 



No matter how commonplace the subject, a speci- 

 men will vivify it and fix it in the pupil's mind. 



A living, growing plant is worth a score of herba- 

 rium specimens. 



Acknowledgements. To hundreds of young people in 

 many places the author is under the profoundest 

 obligations, for they have instructed him in the point 

 of view. Specific aid has been given by many persons. 

 From the teacher's point of view, proofs have been 

 read by Miss Julia E. Rogers, Minburn, Iowa ; Miss 



