SPRING NATUEE STUDY. 595 



The Stem at Work. The study of the germination of 

 seeds and development of buds has shown the children one 

 use of the stem to support and separate the leaves. 



As the beans planted on sawdust or paper get older, the 

 children can be shown the skin enclosing the stem. What 

 is its work ? Compare with the use of the skin on their 

 hand. Perhaps they will see the threads or fibres running 

 lengthwise through the stem. If they do, tell them that in 

 these threads are little tubes through which much of the 

 water and food passes. 



The Leaves and Their Work. There are many reasons 

 for emphasizing leaf-study. Leaves are much more abun- 

 dant and can be more easily obtained than flowers. Their 

 study can be made as interesting and attractive as that of 

 flowers. If leaves are studied more, our wild flowers will 

 not be destroyed so rapidly, as the growing interest in 

 nature study threatens. 



We must study the leaves as living things, not as mere 

 forms. The tendency to emphasize form and structure is 

 particularly evident in the methods usually followed in 

 studying leaves. Too often the leaf is nothing more than 

 a form, supported by a skeleton. Too often the leaf is a 

 means of giving the pupil practice in exact, concise descrip- 

 tion, and is nothing more. We are not going to neglect the 

 careful observation and the clear, exact expression. In this 

 we will find the leaves and flowers very helpful. But we 

 must give our boys and girls more, an interest in the 

 world about them ; a sympathy with nature ; an apprecia- 

 tion of the beautiful in form, color, purpose, and relations. 



