vi TO THE TEACHER 



Specimens of grasses and legumes. A complete col- 

 lection of the native grasses and legumes should be made 

 in every school. The pupils will delight in helping in this 

 work, which may be made one of the most valuable parts 

 of their instruction. Wherever possible the roots should 

 be saved with the stem, so that the entire plant will be 

 represented. The specimens should be clearly labeled and 

 tied in bunches or attached to pieces of cardboard. It is 

 not intended that these dried samples shall be used for study 

 instead of the growing plant, but they are often useful for 

 occasional illustration during the winter and when there is 

 no time to collect the new material. They also serve as a 

 standard for identification of specimens brought by the 

 pupils to the school. The list should include the chief 

 varieties grown in other sections of the country. 



Specimens of weeds. A collection of the noxious 

 weeds of the region should be made and labels attached. 

 Here again the class may be used in making the collection 

 of all specimens that are available at the time school is in 

 session or even during vacation. A collection of weed 

 seeds should be saved in bottles like those used for the 

 cereals. Pupils should become able to identify at sight 

 both the weed plant and its seed, and should know the 

 habits of growth, the injury done crops and the method of 

 eradication. 



Specimens of injurious insects and worms. The in- 

 sect pests common to the region should be collected and 

 preserved for study by attaching them to cardboard by 

 means of laboratory pins or other device. The school 

 should have a cyanide insect bottle for killing specimens, 

 and insect cases for preserving them. Each specimen 

 should be clearly labeled and the time of its appearance and 

 disappearance given. These specimens will then serve as 

 a guide for the class in making their own collection, or 

 identifying the insects at work. The proper place to study 



