24 NATURE STUDY 



them ? Why not ? Why else is the pod closed ? Why 

 does it open later ? 



Now would be an excellent time to tell of its history 

 and the meaning of its name. 



Obviously, even the superficial study of this plant 

 would require one excursion, and not less than four addi- 

 tional lessons. 



The plant, flowers, leaves, and pods should furnish the 

 material for the drawing lessons immediately succeeding. 

 For reading lessons with second year children, valuable 

 suggestions will be found in Florence Bass' "Nature 

 Stories for Young Readers." For third and fourth year 

 children, the history of the settlement of Jamestown, 

 some account of the introduction of other plants by im- 

 migration, or the story of Cats and Clover, as related by 

 Darwin (Swinton's Nature Reader), would be more prof- 

 itable than a resume of their observation on the plant. 

 Aside from the reproduction of these lessons by drawing, 

 my own experience teaches me to place little value on 

 written work. It is much more important that oppor- 

 tunity should be given to all to talk at length and con- 

 nectedly. More time must be given to oral expression, 

 if the children are ever to write naturally and well. 



Thistle (Cnicus lanceolatus). 



Facts : 



This plant, too, is not native, but has been introduced 

 from Europe. It is fond of rich soil, although it flour- 

 ishes in dry fields, because of its thick leaves. It has a 

 round, brown, tough taproot, with a stiff upright hollow 

 grooved stem, which bears the prickly winged leaves, 

 woolly underneath, and the large terminal heads of pur- 



