100 HOW NATURE STUDY SHOULD BE TAUGHT 



satisfaction. It is the heart that sees more than 

 the mind. To love nature is the first step in ob- 

 serving her. If a boy had to learn fishing as a 

 task, what slow progress he would make ; but as 

 his heart is in it, how soon he becomes an 

 adept. 



" The eye sees quickly and easily those things 

 in which we are interested. A man interested in 

 horses sees every fine horse in the country he passes 

 through ; the dairyman the cows ; the bee culturist 

 the bees ; the sheep grower the flocks, etc. And 

 it is even said that the ladies require no effort to 

 note the new bonnets and cloaks on the street. 

 If one is a lover of birds or flowers, he easily sees 

 birds or flowers everywhere. The fact is we all 

 see and observe easily in the line of our business, 

 our tasks, our desires." 



I would not teach a beautiful, rhythmical 

 recitation about the sturdy oak, its leaves and 

 acorns, and then find, as I did in one city school- 

 room, that not a child there had ever seen an oak 

 leaf nor an acorn. 



See the bird capturing insects for food ; see 

 the insects feeding on the plant which draws its 

 nourishment from the ground under the influence 

 of the beneficent sunshine. That is nature study, 



