SPRING NATURE STUDY. 553 



showing the semi-circular scar each forms, with a dot within 

 it ior ear>h leaflet of the leaf removed. 



Now the children (even in the first grade) can think 

 out " for themselves the meaning and story of the scars on 

 the branches. Each horse-shoe shaped scar shows where a 

 leaf fell off. Each ring shows where the bud scales fell off. 

 By counting the number of rings, beginning at the tips of 

 the branches, we can tell how many sets of scales have 

 fallen off; that is, how many buds have helped to form the 

 branch, or how many years that branch or twig has been 

 growing. 



The later development of the leaves and the growth of 

 the little " bunch of grapes " in the centre can be best ob- 

 served out-doors in May and June. 



The following papers illustrate individual or free repro- 

 duction by the children. All are given as originally writ- 

 ten by the children, with errors in spelling and capitals and 

 serious grammatical errors corrected : 



How MOTHER NATURE CARES FOR THE HORSE-CHESTNUT BUDS. 



" Mother Nature cares for the buds because they are like children 

 to her as babies are to their mother. The sticky varnish helps the 

 little buds because it keeps out the rain. The buds that are on the 

 sides are smaller than the bud that is on the top because those that 

 are on the top get more air and light than those that are on the sides." 



CLARK ROBSON, 

 SECOND GRADE, PRACTICE SCHOOL. 



HORSE-CHESTNUT BUDS. 



" We went down to the park to see a horse-chestnut tree. The 

 tree was in the southeast corner. The trunk of the tree was four 

 feet around but it was not as high as the trees near it. It had a 

 rough gray bark. I counted eleven branches that were big. The buds 

 grow on the ends of the small branches. The buds are shaped like 

 a pear. I counted ten scales on my bud. The color of the scales is 

 brown. The stuff that is on it is varnish. The 



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V OK THK 



UNIVERSITY 



