OF NATURE STUDY. —35 



full}' formed. Then the W^e story of it may be written just as we would Write the 

 life story of a frog, or other animal. 



This periodic examination will lead up to the formation and development of 

 fnuit, and the dispersal of seeds. Tlie seeds should be preserved in labelled 

 packages, planted in the following spring, and their germination and early growth 

 noted, thus completing the observation of the life-cycle. 



While lioing such work as the above, the pupil will discover the distinction 

 between annuals, biennials, and j>erennials. Usually this distinction is brought be- 

 fore the student after a few months' study, but, evidenth-, no one can appreciate 

 the distinction until a type of each class has been studied for two or more years. 

 Thus, the study of plants, "in the large," will be followed by the study of 

 4heir more particular structure : the buds, leaves, flowers, fruit, and seeds. Each 

 of these may be taken in turn, aud studied minutely. 



Bring into \our school-room, in March, branches of diflferent trees, e. g., 

 maple, apple, horse-chestnut. Keep their cut ends immersed in water, or in moist 

 soil (culling the ends occasionally,) and observe the development of the bud. 

 What becomes of the brown scales? JIow is llie bud protected? Where are the 

 buds situateil':' Wliiih buiis dcM'lop (irstV Are there any which will not 

 develoi) in the room? Observe the develo[)inent of buds on the tree later. What 

 is a bud? How does it grow? Find the buds which become flowers. Which 

 appear first, the leaves or the flowers? 



In the maple, the flowers are noticeable first, in the apple both develop 

 together, while in the horse-chestnut the tree is in full foliage befoie the flowers 

 appear. Try to discover other trees like each of these types in respect to the 

 appearance of the flowers, compared with the leaves. 



Following the plan suggested in a preceding paragraph, observe these trees 

 at least o.ice a month throughout the season. The development oi the fruit 

 should be followed closely and a record of observations kept. Does each blossom 

 produce a fruit? If not, about how many of the blossoms do produce fruit? Oi 

 fruits which set how many mature ? What causes some of the fruit not to develop ? 

 Open those fruits which fall early to discover the cause of their non-development. 

 Study the structure of the fruits of the trees mentioned. (Third book pupils 

 can do this.) In the maple fruit, the peculiar wing and the iTianner of falling are 

 noticeable; in the horse-chestnut, the burr or shell, and the richly colored brown 

 nuts; in the apple, the fleshy fruit and seed cavities. How many seed cavities 

 are there? How many seeds in each cavity? Look for other fruits like each of 

 these types. Thus the ash and the elm have winged fruits; the chestnut and 

 beech-nut have burrs; the pear and quince are fleshy. Why are fruits green 

 while immature, and brown when ripe? Do these colors protect them in any 

 way ? 



In higher classes, the study of butls maj' be continued, in order to find when, 

 where and how, new buds are formed each year. Examine the branches closely 

 each month. You will find that the buds are formed earlj" in the season before 

 the leaves fall. Where are they formed ? How and when are they coated with 

 resin? What other protection have they? Open one to see. Trj' to discover 

 all that is contained in a bud. Study the mark (scar) left by the leaf after it 

 has fallen from the tree; also the ring-like marks of the scales of a bud. The 



