Walks with the Children. 177 



centre and also near one side. Such a way of cutting gives 

 the wood in three aspects, i.e., radial, tangential^ and cross- 

 grain or transverse. When neatly sandpapered, they may 

 be treated with some clear varnish to give them a finish. It 

 is advisable to varnish only half of each aspect. This will 

 show how each wood appears plain and dressed. 



What to Note. In giving the lessons the thickness of 

 the bark, its color, texture, smell, etc., the ring and rays in 

 the wood, sap, wood, pith, and bast, coarseness, hardness, 

 etc., should all be noted. The amount of pith should also 

 be noted, as woods differ very greatly in this particular. 



Arrangement. There are many ways of classifying and 

 arranging woods. If the specimens are large, they may be 

 labelled and arranged in rows upon the shelves of a case. 

 Smaller sized specimens may be arranged in boxes. A very 

 convenient way is to collect specimens one inch in diameter 

 and three inches long. These may be glued or wired to a 

 board or stiff card. A good way is to have each piece 

 mounted with a cross-section just above it. Such a collec- 

 tion may be placed upon the walls to ornament the school- 

 room. 



It should not be forgotten that the mere act of collecting^ 

 however good that may be, is not the end in studies of this 

 kind. Pupils should know their specimens well. They 

 should handle them until thoroughly familiar with their 

 minutest details. To this end it is often good to give 

 pupil a mixed assortment of woods to arrange as seat-work. 

 Another stimulating exercise is to play the game of trees. 

 This is to have pupils take turns in describing some particu- 

 lar kind of tree or some individual tree and have the others 

 guess its kind. 



FOURTH WALK. 



Farming A Brook. : ; 



In this walk the class is not supposed to go more than a 

 half mile., 



