Indoor Bulb-Planting in Schools 



Mary F. Barrett. 



In the nature study curriculum the topic of bulb-planting has 

 always proved exceedingly satisfactory. 



To begin with, a bulb, as for example, that of the onion, is a 

 familiar, a household object. Moreover it is easy to dissect, and 

 its different parts are large and can be seen and identified with- 

 out much assistance from a teacher. 



Then the study of bulbs and their culture, besides appealing 

 to the practical and the aesthetic senses of children, is of interest 

 and importance as exemplifying certain fundamental botanical 

 principles. In the bulb may be seen the principal parts of a 

 plant, modified it is true, but easily recognized and explained. 

 The preparation of the plant for winter may be noted, the nature 

 of its stored food ascertained, and the presence of food correlated 

 with the time of flowering. The whole cycle of one type of 

 vegetative propagation may be watched, from mother bulb to 

 daughter bulbs, under normal and easily controlled conditions 

 of temperature, of water and other foods. Thus it is obvious 

 that the subject may be considered from many different points 

 of view and may thus be worked into any one of a variety of 

 places in the curriculum. 



Finally, if the proper kinds of bulbs are chosen and culti- 

 vated in accordance with correct methods, they are sure to be 

 successful, and they are comparatively inexpensive. 



The conditions in the State Xormal School at Upper Mont- 

 clair. X. J., are typical of most suburban schools, and an account 

 of the methods there used in treating this subject may be of 

 value as a summary, even if it contributes no new ideas. The 

 students in that school are being prepared to teach in grammar 

 grades, and in the three class appointments devoted to the topic 

 they are given it as they themselves would present it to children. 

 Since most of them live at a distance which would prevent super- 

 vision of home-raised bulbs, all the planting is done at the school. 



The work is introduced by a jjreliminary discussion of the 

 values of different kinds of house plants, in which the students 

 are led to distinguish the particular advantages of bulbs. 



The following class period, forty minutes is taken up with 

 the examination of a typical bulb and a comparison of it with 

 other bulbs and with a tuber. For typical bulbs old specimens 

 of Chinese lily are used, as being easy to handle and showing 

 well the manner in which new bulbs are formed. The tubers 



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