70 The Nature-Study Idea 



Suggestions for plant work 



The pupil should come to the study of plants 

 and animals with little more than his natural 

 and native powers. Study with the compound 

 microscope is a specialization to be made when 

 the pupil has had experience and when his judg- 

 ment and sense of relationships are trained. 



A difficulty in the teaching of plants is to 

 determine what are the most profitable topics 

 for consideration. Much of the teaching at- 

 tempts to go too far and the subjects have no 

 vital connection with the pupil's life. Good 

 botanical teaching for the young is replete with 

 human interest. It is connected with the com- 

 mon associations. 



Plants always should be taught by the "labo- 

 ratory method" : that is, the pupil should work 

 out the subjects directly from the specimens 

 themselves; but I should want it understood 

 that the best "laboratory" may be the field, and 

 that the plants are to be studied as plants rather 

 than as dissected pieces. 



Specimens mean more to the pupil when he 



