Lessons in the School-yard. 143 



and his observing powers being cultivated in this direction, 

 he will come to see other things with greater ease. 



A very attractive way to mount twigs is to select a cir- 

 cular piece of heavy cardboard as large as a barrel-head. 

 Place a cross-section of a branch from some tree in the 

 centre by means of glue and then arrange the twigs along 

 the radii of the circle. A permanent arrangement may be 

 made by fastening the buds to a square board with small 

 staples or double-pointed tacks ; then give the whole a coat 

 of varnish or hard-oil dressing. 



TREE-BUDS. 

 Preparations for Winter. 



Here are some twigs which I cut off this morning on the 

 way to school. The red autumn leaves have scarcely gone, 

 but see what I find here on the branches. Yes, they are 

 buds. How do they differ from the tender leaf-buds which 

 have been growing and expanding all summer ? Yes, they 

 are shut up very tight. Do you see any other difference ? 

 Why, yes, to be sure, there are scales all over them. Did 

 you ever see buds like these before ? So they do look like 

 the buds we studied last spring. Does the tree put on its 

 winter buds in September ? Why is this ? Old Mother 

 Nature is very kind to the little buds. She is now putting 

 on their nice warm coats, for she knows that winter will 

 soon be here. Pretty soon we shall put on our winter flan- 

 nels, and bring out our thick, warm overcoats, too. 



Can you tell me anything else that is beginning to prepare 

 for the cold weather ? The horses' coats are getting thicker ; 

 kitty's hair is not coming out now ; the hens are not shed- 

 ding so many feathers as they did in July. The little seeds 

 have fallen upon the ground and are fast asleep. Do you 

 think that the little buds know that winter will soon be 

 here ? Does the old tree say to the little buds, " Keep still, 

 little children ; I am going to put out some nice warm bud- 



