LESSONS WITH PLANTS 



97 



Grade II 

 Grade III 



distribution of plants to the different grades last year was 

 as follows : 



Grades I and II. Dwarf nasturtium, Tom Thumb, Tropceo- 

 lum minor. This has never fai^d to 

 bloom profusely and greatly delight the 

 children. 



Calliopsis coronata, very successful. 



Sensitive plant, Mimosa pudica. The 

 best plant to teach that plants are alive. 

 Grade IV. Bachelor's button, Centaurea. Always 

 succeeds and is a great favorite in the 

 school. 



Balsam, Impatiens. This has done only 

 fairly well, and the number of failures 

 indicate that it needs good care. 



Petunia. 1 Interesting on account of dust- 

 like seeds. 



Ten-weeks stock. Has done fairly well. 



Grade V. 



Grade VI, 



Grades VII and VIII. 



To rear a plant best is the lesson./ A man is a whole 

 man only when he plays. This competitive element thus 

 enlists the whole child, brings into action every scrap of 

 power to think, reason, investigate, experiment, to will 

 and to do, of which a child is capable. And do we think 

 how large a lesson we have given ? No man yet knows 

 how to rear any single plant best or has ever been able 

 to do it. It is the lesson, in epitome, of the human 

 race in learning the best cultural conditions for different 



1 Petunias had been tried by grades VII and VIII and failed two years 

 in succession. They were accordingly given up for a year. The next year 

 grade VI begged to be allowed to try petunias, just because the others had 

 failed, and scored a brilliant success. This was due to simple instruction 

 upon preparation of soil and planting the seeds given as a class lesson. 



