200 THE NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [i, 5, sept. 1905 



formity of usage would be to retard the growth of popular knowl- 

 edge of common things. 



It is useless to discuss the necessity of having a name for ob- 

 jects. The proposition is axiomatic. An object cannot be re- 

 ferred to definitely without a name, and when it cannot be re- 

 ferred to it cannot be discussed, and its use and injuries caused 

 by it cannot be attributed to the proper source. Without a name 

 it is nothing in its community. 



F. L. Stevens. 



North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. 



In regard to the question " Is there a value in knowing the 

 names of common natural objects," I should say emphatically yes. 

 I think it is far better to teach children something of the things 

 about them than a good many facts about India, China and Japan. 

 I believe we all should know all we can about the common things 

 about us, and be able to observe and to see some of the things we 

 look at, and to understand something of what we see, and that by 

 so understanding these things our life will be broader and more 

 interesting not only to ourselves but to others. There is far too 

 much ignorance concerning common things. 



H. D. Hem EN WAY. 



Hartford School of Horticulture, 



My answer to the question whether there is value in giving the 

 names of common objects, is taken from my " Nature-Study 

 Idea " : '' Would you tell the child the names of the things ? 

 Certainly, the same as I would tell him the name of a new boy 

 or girl. But I should not stop with the name. Nature-study 

 does not ask finally ' What is the thing ? ' but ' How does the 

 thing live ? ' or ' What does it do ?' or * How does it get here ? ' 

 or ' What can I do with it ? ' The name is only a part of the 

 language that enables us to talk about the thing. Tell the name 

 at the outset and have the matter done with. Then go on to vital 

 questions." 



L. H*. Bailey. 



Cornell University. 



The recognized common names of natural objects are of great 

 value to young people as they afiford a means of communicating 

 many facts of interest as, for example, in describing what they 

 saw on a journey or a walk. The Latin names are out of place in 



