SPRING NATURE STUDY. 563 



their growth, may prepare for the observation of the early 

 growth of the root from the seeds. 



The buds of the poplar, and particularly of the cotton- 

 wood, form long catkins, which show very clearly the clus- 

 ters of stamens and pistils and the stages in the develop- 

 ment of the seeds. The staminate catkins are worth 

 observing just for their rich colors. 



The flower buds of the white and red maples develop 

 naturally in March or April, the white maple earliest. The 

 flowers are difficult for young children to understand, until 

 they have had considerable study of larger flowers. But 

 they are attractive in color (those of the white maple 

 varying from green to reddish yellow, and those of the red 

 maple from yellow to scarlet), and show clearly the stages 

 in the development of the winged seeds from the flowers. 



This study of tree flowers will be helpful in impressing 

 on the children the fact of the existence of many kinds 

 of flowers which they have never noticed, the function of 

 flowers in the formation of seeds, and perhaps the fact 

 that the important parts of the flowers, in seed-making, 

 are the pistils and stamens, not merely or mainly the 

 colored calyx, or corolla, usually regarded as the flower. 



Newell' s " Outlines of Lessons in Botany" (Ginn & Co., 

 Boston) will be found most helpful in bud study. Part I. 

 (price $0.55) has much on leaf buds. Part II. (price 

 $0.90) relates to flowers and flower buds and to fruits. 



CHILDREN'S PAPERS ON BUDS. 

 THE LEAF BUD OF THE ELM. 1 



14 The home of the little leaf bud is on the elm tree. The brothers 

 and sisters never quarrel. The leaf buds are arranged one on the top 

 of the twig and one on the right and one on the left side lower down. 



1 These two papers were written by children in the same room. They 

 illustrate the possibility of getting individual work while following the same 

 general line of thought. 



