1 8 Lessons in 'Nature Study. 



VII. The Milkweed. 



Here is another dry fruit. Its shape, warty surface, 

 jointed stem, should be first observed. Then its shining in- 

 terior, its great mass of flat brown seeds with their silky ap- 

 pendage, should be examined and discussed. Why does 

 nature want the seeds to fly away ? What would happen 

 were the seeds all to fall down upon the ground in one 

 place ? Can you pull off the silk from the seeds ? Does it 

 come off easily? 



Pull some silk. Is it strong ? Would it weave into cloth 

 well ? Is it brittle or not ? Examine some silk with a 

 glass. 



VIII. The Pod. 



For this lesson it is well to have as many kinds of pods 

 (legumes) as possible. Beans, pease, locust, honey-locust, 

 peanut, are commonest. Some of these can be studied 

 fresh from the gardens, while others hang on the trees all 

 winter, and are available at any time. 



These are also easily drawn and described. The curious 

 way in which seeds are attached to one side by means of 

 short curved stems (funicles) and the little hollows where 

 the seeds nestle down closely are all worthy of note. The 

 use of some of these for food will be worth mention. An- 

 other thing not to be overlooked is the fact that the halves 

 of almost all pods (legumes) tend to split apart along a 

 definite line. This is brought out in shelling peas, and also 

 in cracking peanuts in the hand. The two halves are called 

 valves. 



IX. The Key-fruit, 



So much has been written on the maple that it is 

 hardly necessary to outline a lesson on this fruit, but the 

 keys of the elm, box-elders, ash, and ailanthus are far less 

 known, and so they may occupy a few words here. It is 

 well to select one of these fruits, and give a rather full 



