On TIIK MaNACJEMKNT (JK ELii.MKNXAKV ClASSKS 1\ IJOTANV. 



receive this benefit, it is essential that the pupil should be brought into contact with the forms 

 whicli are the objects of study; that he should- handle tliem and view theiii for himself; that he 

 slioukl by personal inspection, ascertain their habits, and by visiting theix' haunts learn the situa- 

 ations in which they flourish best. Undoubtedly, then, the first essential in giving a lesson is 

 that every member of the class should have before liiia a specimen of the plant, or part of plant, 

 which is to be the subject of the lesson. Then the teacher will direct attention to the different 

 organs, naturally in the order of development of the organs themselves ; first to the root, then 

 to the stem, then to the leaves, and finally to the flower. In a first lesson it would not be amiss 

 to make a superficial examination of tlie entire plant, rapidly and briefly discussing the nature 

 and use of each i)art. but avoiding as far as pos.ssible the use of technical terms. The chapter on 

 tlie Buttercup, as given in the text-book, really affords material for several lessons. Each teacher 

 must; however, be guided by the time at his disposal and the circumstances of his class as to how 

 much ground he will attempt to cover at one time. Some of the plants described in the text-book 

 as, for instance, Hepatica and Marsh Marigold, will not be available in the autumn. This, how- 

 ever, is a matter of comparatively little consequence, as others can be substituted. In fact, after 

 one plant, such as Buttercup, has been thoroughly understood, almost any other dicotyledonous 

 plant may be .taken up and comi^ared with it. The order followed in the text-ljook is a good one, 

 l}ecause the pupil is led by degrees from the study of floral forms in which all the parts are present 

 but entirely disconnected, to others showing various complications and irregularities ; but the 

 judicious teacher will readily supplement the work of the text-book by the use of material which he 

 will find in abundance everywhere about him. Let him keep in view the series of facts which it is 

 essential that the class should know, and he ma\' use any material which would enable the class to 

 discover those facts from personal obseiwation. 



How to conduct a Lesson. — if the class is a large one, it Avill economize time to have 

 the observations made simultaneouslj". Suppose the Red Maple is the subject of the lesson, which 

 of coitrse in this particular case must be given in the spring. The class having observed that the 

 flowers precede the leaves, that the flower-clusters upon one set of trees differ in appearance from 

 those ujjon another set of trees, and that all the trees ai'e visited by mttltitudes of busy insects, let an 

 abundant supply" of both sorts of flowers be procui'ed and taken to the class-room. Let the teacher 

 then distribute the staminate flowers, and proceed with the observations upon them. Every pujiil 

 shoidd have before him a blank schedule, in wliich he will set down tlie result of his observations, 

 and it will be w-ell for the teacher to have a large schedule, visible to the class, marked off upon the 

 blackboard. Assuming that the pupils have been made acquainted with the common terms employed 

 in the forms, let them all be required to examine the calyx, and to set down in the proper place tlie 

 number of sepals. Then ascertain what has been thus set down. If all agree in their observations, the 

 result may be accepted and recorded in the schedule on the blackboard. If there are variations, these 

 must be looked into and noted, if Currect. Then comes the question — " Poh^sepalous or Gamosepa- 

 lous? " — the result to be checked as before. Then — '• Superior or Inferior? " — to be dealt with in like 

 manner. To fill the last column, headed " Remarks," it will not be amiss to leave the pupils entirely 

 to their own judgment as to what they may think worth recording. "When the notes have been made, 

 the teacher may select from them such as are most worthy, and enter these in liis blackboard scheuttlc. 

 The corolla will next be looked for and a record made. The word ■•Wanting" will doubtless be written 

 down by every one, and may then be also written on the blackboard. Tlien the stamens come under 

 notice. Each will set down the number he finds, and in this case it is hardly likelj- that aU the results 

 will agree. Some will find five, otliers six, others seven. When all the results have been ascertained, 

 the teacher should enter in his form the lowest and highest numbers, thus: 5-7, as expressing the 

 collective result, and he should improve the opportunity here presented to caution his pupils not to 



