FALL PLANT STUDY. 



the sunshine and flowers and butterflies. 

 are gloomy ; clouds have succeeded sunshine. The leaves 

 are falling, and the branches are becoming bare. The milk- 

 weed is shrivelled and shapeless, its cradle empty, its seed- 

 babies scattered. The plant world seems to be dying. 



Is this the end ? Can we study plants now ? Yes ; no 

 better time for some phases of plant study. The work of 

 the plant is completed. What has it done ? What is the 

 result of all its labor ? The fruits have been gathered. 

 With the result of it all the fruits in our hands, what 

 better time for looking back ? 



We can study the fruit from three points of view : 



First. In its relations to the tree, as the result of the 

 work of the tree, aided by sun and rain and soil and many 

 other of Mother Nature's helpers, and as a preparation by 

 the tree and Mother Nature for the future. 



Second. In its relations to man, tfre ways in which 

 man cares for and helps the tree, and the use he makes of the 

 fruit. Here there is endless opportunity for observation 

 and supplementary talks and stories and reading, work 

 which may be done at any time, during the winter. Such 

 work should be based as much as possible on observation. 

 Even when it is merely given as information, told the pupils, 

 or read by them or to them, it will help them to look at 

 the plant and the world in general more broadly, and will 

 make the plant work more practical. We must remember 

 that from the plants man gets all his food (directly or 

 indirectly), all his clothing (directly or indirectly), all his 

 fuel, all his light (except that from the heavenly bodies), 

 and most of his tools, utensils, and building materials. 



Third. In its relation to the Creator, the Thanksgiving 

 thought. Whether we look backward to the work of the 

 plant in the formation of the fruit, or forward to the prep- 

 aration for winter and spring; whether we consider the 



