318 NATURE STUDY AND AGRICULTURE 



for the plants, and gather their flowers and fruit, with little 

 attention to anything except the doing of the work. For 

 them plants should be chosen that yield large seeds, bright 

 colors, and quick results. 



In the third grade, while propagation by seeds is con- 

 tinued, the children may work out some of the simple 

 principles upon which germination and plant growth 

 depend. In this grade the selection of seeds from desir- 

 able types may be first considered. Thus the children 

 may choose, for example, seeds from the tomatoes having 

 the best flavor and most meat. The children may save 

 these seeds, raise the plants in the greenhouse or school- 

 room, and transplant either to the school or home garden. 



In the fourth grade propagation by bulbs, tubers, and 

 roots, such as tulips, onions, potatoes, and dahlias may be 

 introduced. 



The fifth grade may be set the problem of the working 

 out of the life history of biennials. The beet is a good 

 type. Other biennials should be grown. 



Among other things the sixth-grade children may study 

 the culture of plants in a cold frame. They should assist 

 in making and placing the cold frame and in caring for the 

 ventilation, watering, etc. Good vegetables to grow in a 

 cold frame are members of the cabbage family, including 

 several species and flowering plants such as cosmos, pansy, 

 sweet scabious. 



The seventh and eighth grade children may grow some 

 of the more difficult plants, such as sweet potato, melons, 

 okra, celery, eggplant, spinach, and asparagus. They may 

 work out by experiment simple problems connected with 

 the relationship of the plants -to their environment. More 



