RELATION TO GEOGRAPHY AND ARITHMETIC. 289 



Passing from what may be strictly called " earth 

 study " to the life of the earth, the plants and animals 

 do not appear to be so closely related to geography as 

 is the mineral world. So far, however, as geography 

 is the study of the earth as the abode of life, and partic- 

 ularly of man, our child must study the inhabitants of 

 the earth even more than the earth itself. 



Only as he observes the plants and animals about 

 him can he, by apperception and imagination, fairly 

 understand what he reads or learns in his geography 

 about the life of other lands. . 



From the standpoint of geography, it is important 

 that our children study in the earlier years that which 

 will give them the clearest conception of plants and 

 animals : 



First. As organisms in close relation to the earth, to 

 soil, water, air, sun, to other plants and animals, and to 

 man. 



Second. As structures fitted for or adapted to their 

 surroundings. 



Third. As types of other plants and animals, some 

 of which the children can see, many of which they can 

 only read about, v 



Thus we will find best, as a preparation for geogra- 

 phy, those plants and animals whose life, habits, and ad- 

 aptation to environment are most easily observed, and 

 whose life, structure, and plan are most typical. 



Such study of our physical environment we can 

 call it nature study or geography, as we choose can 

 be carried on anywhere in any school. The conditions 



