FALL PLANT STUDY. 373 



turbed ! Each pod has a spring. The reason for this the 

 children can discover later. Have the children tell about 

 the shape of the pod (comparing with some object familiar 

 to them), its color, softness, and perhaps the rows of soft 

 spines on it, which make it look prettier. Along the outer 

 side, always on the side away from the plant-stem, is, in 

 the younger pods, a rather hard ridge along the middle of 

 which a crease or crack develops as the pod ripens. 



How the Milkweed Babies are Protected. Cannot we 

 arouse in our little folks that " spirit of expectancy " which 

 is the best preparation for one of those enthusiastic, ear- 

 nest, wide-awake lessons the results of which " stick " in 

 the little minds ? Perhaps the lines below will aid in this : 



THE MILKWEED CASE. 



" Cover and case, close locked together, 

 Filled with a curious kind of feather ; 

 Open the box, you'll need no key 

 Oh ! pretty green case, did you grow fo~* me ? 

 'Twas only the other day I said, 

 I must make my dolly a feather-bed ; 

 And here is the softest, fluffiest stuff, 

 Silky and white and plenty enough." 



Have the children study a pod partly opened. Isn't that 

 beautiful ? Neither teacher nor pupil will see many pret- 

 tier objects. Are the little scales scattered about, as boys 

 and girls sometimes throw their things, or does each scale 

 have its place ? Why arranged so carefully ? Why does 

 not Mother Milkweed tumble them in anyway? (Never 

 mind the moral ; let the milkweed do the preaching. ) 

 Just under the crack in the cover the plant mother has not 

 placed any little scales. Do you suppose she was afraid 

 some cold might creep in through the crack and chill the 

 babies ? In the small upper end of the pod we do not find 

 the scales ; there is only white, shining silk. 



