On the MANAutiMENT OF Elumkntauy Classks in Botany. 



whole process may then be observed in the most convenient way, dissections and comparisons beiu^ 

 readily made at various stages. 



Spring W^ork. — If the pro^jramme thus lightly sketched he fairly carried out, the young bot- 

 anist should be very well prepared for field work in the spring. He will now put to a practical use tlie 

 information he has been ac^iuiring about the parts of plants and their modifications, and will proceed 

 to identify and classifj' the flowering plants which come in his way according to the characters which 

 he finds them to exhibit. As soon as practicable the pupils should be required to collect and bring to 

 the class-room any wild plants whatever which they may find in flower. If their specimens are 

 enclosed in a suitable tin box. with a light sprinkling of water, they will remain in excellent condition 

 for several days. It is now of nunor consetiuence whether all the members of the class are engaged 

 upon the same plant or not ; but whether they are at work upon the same or different plants, the sched- 

 ules must in all cases be conscientiously filled up before they attempt to determine the name and place 

 of the specimen. Perhaps, for a time, until all become familiar with the use of the "flora," it woxild 

 U? better to work upon one plant at a time. If this plan be followed, the points of structure should be 

 ohsrrved, recorded, and checked as already described for the earlier lessons, and when the characters of 

 the plant have thus been definitely settled, recourse must be had to the " key " which is prefixed to the 

 flora. Full instructions are given in the book itself for the use of this " key," so that they need not be 

 r<»|>raie«l hero. All the teacher has to do is to accompany the class through the various questions which 

 have to be answered, putting them, if preferred, one by one, and receiving the answers of the class in 

 any way he may prefer, the answers in every case, of course, to be obtained from the completed sclied- 

 ule. If the true name of the plant is at length arrived at, this will be the best evidence that clie work 

 of observation has been accurately performed. Two or three lessons carried out in this manner will 

 give the pupils confidence, and familiarize them with the u.se of the flora, after which they may be 

 allowed to examine and determine almost anj' flowering plant they may meet with. The toacher will find 

 It vi3<'ful at this stage to begin a register of the practical work done by his pupils. If prizes are given, 

 the awarding of them may be made to deiiend largely ujKJn tlie showing of this register. Then, if there 

 is time, the mode of prenermny and mounting specimens for the herbarium might be explained. Apart 

 from its botanical importance, this work has an educational value in itself, demanding, as it does, the 

 greatest neatness and care to ensure the most successful results. Full instructions will Ije found at the 

 *.fi,l ,,r flif. glos8ar>'. 



Excursions — The writer cannot do better than reproduce here a short account of a botanical 

 (!• '.■''. 'lay, written by him for the Educational Monthlr/ .some time ago, in order to illustrate how such 

 .1 Ujiy may lie spent : — 



A BOTANICAL FIELD DAY. 



It is r- ^ ';..v» Cof ,,..,1 ... .. ..rning tr>ward» the end of .Fune- a morning to wliii h a » ■■!.• of Ikivh and girls 



have for ^ ; forward with a gfMjd deal of pleasant anticijiHtion. Tliey are juvenile Ixjt- 



ani-ttji, memhert of a clawi formed some munthM ago, and having now, by the study of selectod apecimenH, 

 n • • r the Htnictiiro of plant.«. thfy are, on this particular morning, to meet for 



ii ;■. _ . . :h as como in th««ir way, and then to ro-aMteml>lo and compare notes, and 



al<»o to deterrriine the namet* of such plant«i as they do not already know. 



The ivndezvoiui selected is a particularly good one for V>ot«nieal purposes, commanding, as it does, a 

 variety of situations. It is an upland frf>m which, by a gentle slof»e to the northward, you may descend 

 tf rh« r*H>dy Tnnr:rin rf a small lake, r • - ' d by trees iintil you are close upf>n it. East of this lake 

 sT • he^ a >^'av' r t ■ ■ ! .w of many a< i '^*'<\ and dott^'d with larrhe«. and too moist to traverse in 



