AFTER PLANTING, WHAT? 



Five or six racks containing chimneys or glass 

 tubing cut in short lengths, would give nearly 

 every child one bit of experimental work to watch 

 and to record in his diary. The racks would not 

 take up much room, and by turning them end 

 foremost and using the first hole alternating with 

 some other, each experiment with the same kind 

 of seed could be lined up for easy comparative 

 study. Similarly, other experiments with plants 

 growing in dampness, darkness, or crowded as to 

 roots, and also under opposite conditions, may be 

 made. Suggestions and examples can be found in 

 the United States Bulletins on School Gardening, 

 in C. F. Hodge's "Nature Study," Osterhaut's 

 " Experiments with Plants," and other similar 

 books, such as Holtz's "Nature Study," and 

 Coulter and Patterson's " Practical Nature Study 

 and Elementary Agriculture." 



Attention may be called to the weight of the 

 earth upon the seed and to the force with which 

 the plantlet pushes through to light and air. A 

 flower pot filled with beans with just enough 

 water to cover them, covered with a pan and the 

 whole tied about in all directions with strong, 

 firm twine, if left to stand a short time, will show 

 the enormous strength and bursting power of 

 that seed. Bottles, if loosely covered with cloth 

 to catch the flying glass, may be used by the 

 teacher to show how seeds with lesser power 

 expand. 



This lesson may be carried out to show how 

 185 



