LABORATORY WORK 255 



ticultural societies. After the students have 

 become thoroughly familiar with standard 

 fruits, they should be given the freedom of 

 some such collection as can be found at a 

 county fair. Here they are likely always to 

 find some specimens incorrectly named and 

 some untrue to type. They will also discover 

 interesting local variations. Every variety in 

 such a collection should be challenged, every 

 name verified or corrected. Here, for the 

 first time, the students should use a book of 

 descriptions, like Downing's, Warder's, or 

 Thomas's, for the verification of varieties. It 

 may be well to require each student to make 

 a complete and fully detailed report of the 

 exhibit, or, if it is large, of certain sections 

 of it. 



9. At this stage of the class work the in- 

 structor should secure samples of fruit from a 

 distance, in order to show the variations to 

 which varieties are subject in different en- 

 vironments. During peach season it may be 

 possible to get samples from considerable dis- 

 tances; but the one fruit which is naturally 

 the main reliance is the apple. Apples can 

 be secured at almost any time and from any 

 distance. The writer has found it easy and 



