8 NATURE STUDY. 



delion from its clay or glass counterfeit. We have 

 \ considered the dandelion as something isolated from all 

 the world, having no relations to anything else. 



We have studied and described the plant somewhat 

 carefully, with a free use of technical terms, but it would 

 be most unwise, in work with children, to begin with 

 such dissection and dry technical description. This 

 study of structure is merely a basis for further work in 

 this and subsequent chapters, and is not intended to 

 serve as a model for teachers to follow in their work 

 with children. 



Incidentally, hitherto, we have seen the value of tech- 

 nical or scientific terms in describing structure concisely 

 and exactly, and have learned, as we referred to the 

 pictures to understand the descriptions in the text, that 

 ^ ] pictures illustrate flower structure much better than 

 words can describe it. 



But what can we gain from such a study ? What is 

 the educational aim or value of such study of mere form 

 and structure? 



First. We may widen our range of thought, and add 

 to our previous store of information concerning the form 

 of the dandelion, and the relation of its parts. 



Second. We may gain an interest in the dandelion. 

 The common, and perhaps despised, wayside weed be- 

 comes a complex and wonderful structure. It would 

 become still more marvellous if we could study with the 

 microscope its minute details ; but this does not seem 

 wise, nor even possible, for those for whom this book is 

 planned. 



