MARCH 183 



Excellent language and reading lessons may be had on 

 the various uses of the different kinds of quartz, and 

 particularly on the history and manufacture of glass. 



If possible, begin now a mineral collection. Get the 

 largest and best specimens that can be obtained. Ar- 

 range these minerals in families as much as possible, 

 and secure specimens illustrating their uses. The labels 

 should contain not only the name, but also the locality 

 from which the mineral came. Let the children con- 

 tribute the greater number of specimens and do the 

 greater portion of the work. But the teacher must both 

 give and work, if she expects to have a successful collec- 

 tion of any kind. 



Feldspar is the commonest of all stones except quartz. 

 Beautiful specimens may be bought for a small sum. 



By this time, each child should possess a piece of glass, 

 a penknife, or a bit of sharp steel, and should have suffi- 

 cient knowledge of the subject to be able, without ques- 

 tions, to write a description of the mineral under these 

 heads : AVeight, Structure, Color, Transparency, Hardness. 



Teach them the term '•' cleavage." 



The uses of clay and its independent discovery by 

 different nations for the manufacture of pottery, an ex- 

 cursion to a brick yard, or in default of this, the com- 

 parison of brick clay, an unbaked brick, which may be 

 afterwards baked, and a baked brick, all easily procured 

 by the teacher, will make excellent supplementary lessons. 



Review thoroughly and compare the three minerals, — 

 mica, feldspar, quartz. In what form does each exist in 

 the soil ? Of what use is each to the soil ? Why ? 



