THE LIVING THINGS IN THE SOIL 



315 



Suggested Projects. 



1. TO ATTRACT AND PROTECT HELPFUL BIRDS. 



2. TO MAKE A COLLECTION OF INSECTS AND CLASSIFY THEM, MAK- 

 ING AT LEAST ONE EXHIBIT FROM EACH OF THE IMPORTANT ORDERS. 



The living things in the soil. Life in this world con- 

 sists of a great deal of give and take. We could not get 

 along comfortably 

 at home without 

 giving in to our 

 brothers and sis- 

 ters, and without 

 helping mother and 

 father, for we take 

 so much in return 

 from them. In the 

 plant and animal 

 world similar con- 

 di tions exist. 

 Plants could not 

 get along without 

 dead organic mat- 

 ter. We have seen 

 the need of man- 

 ure and other de- 

 cayed materials. 

 Garden soil must be thought of as a place where mil- 

 lions of bacteria and other plants and animals live, some 

 friendly and some unfriendly to the plants which are de- 

 sired in the garden. If we were to examine soil for the 

 presence of bacteria, we would find many more in rich 

 soil -than in sandy soil, and very many more near the sur- 

 face than a little distance farther in the ground. Most 



This shows how organic matter is broken down by bac- 

 teria so it may be used again by green plants. 



