FIRST GRADE SPRING WORK 69 



LESSON XL 

 STUDY OF SOILS 



Are all soils alike? What differences can you notice? 

 Take the class out for a walk, and in different places gather 

 samples of soil; on returning, put these samples into glass 

 bottles so that they may be examined easily and continually 

 by the children. Dig a hole as deep as need be to secure 

 samples of soil, subsoil, etc., and place a layer of each kind 

 in a tall bottle in the order that they occur in the earth. 



Does much vegetation grow on gravelly soil? Is it good 

 or bad soil, then ? Is sand a good soil ? Is clay a good soil ? 

 Which of all the samples do you think is the best soil ? What 

 kind of soil is found on the hills near the mountains ? Where 

 is sandy soil found ? Do you know where there is much clay 

 in the soil ? Where is the best soil found near the school ? 



Notice the weeds and wild plants that grow on these differ- 

 ent kinds of soil, and tell which is poor and which is good 

 soil. Why do farmers greatly desire good soil for their farms ? 

 The teacher should illustrate, by examples and experiments, 

 the benefit of having good soil to cultivate. Seeds planted 

 in clay, sand, and in good garden loam, in the schoolroom, 

 and given the same care will show the relative values of the 

 soils used. 



LESSON XLI 

 STUDY OF SOILS (Continued) 



Experiment. Wet samples of soils secured on the field 

 trip, and notice which readily absorb the water. Let them 

 dry, and notice which have a hard crust and which have not. 



