VI PREFACE 



has also the decided advantage of bringing the science 

 home to the child. He repeats his experiments at home, 

 for he has the "apparatus", and the science becomes his, 

 through the reproduction. 



The experiments, although very simple, do not 

 merely verify the statements of the text, but they elab- 

 orate and add to it. They are often the source of 

 information, and thus the pupils become imbued with 

 the desire for investigation the true scientific spirit. To 

 obtain the best results the pupils should write up their 

 experiments in brief manner and illustrate their work 

 with simple drawings of the apparatus and objects which 

 have been used. 



There has been no attempt at an exhaustive study ol 

 any one thing. Many of the sections could he enlarged 

 to produce a book in themselves. The attempt has been 

 made, however, to show the balance which exists between 

 vegetable and animal life, and the underlying principles 

 which govern all animate as well as all inanimate exist- 

 ence. If the conditions are such as to warrant the spe- 

 cial and more comprehensive study of any of the sec- 

 tions, the List for Teachers, which the United States 

 Department of Agriculture has prepared, should be con- 

 sulted. This list covers a vast field, not alone from the 

 agricultural standpoint, but from that of general science. 



The work is cumulative, always building upon the old 

 and constantly making use of it. Often the foundations 

 for a section are laid many sections before, and thus the 

 science lessons become one whole, a complete blending 

 of the different parts being accomplished naturally, and 

 without apparent effort on the part of the teacher or 

 pupils. 



