62 FLORA OF MICHIGAN. 



It is not the mere learning of facts about plants that is of most 

 importance, but it is the acquiring a habit of close observation of common 

 things all around us, that is of permanent value. The study of plants is 

 often the means of awakening an interest in dull pupils. 



To begin right, they must first observe, handle, dissect, compare and 

 study the specimens. For young pupils, nothing better than the des- 

 criptions and comparisons of trees or herbaceous plants can be assigned 

 for compositions the dread of every youngster in school. 



In learning botany, as a rule, no book lessons should be assigned, nor 

 any scientific names thrust upon the pupils till they have studied the 

 objects themselves. After observing a plant or any part of it carefully, 

 they are then prepared to read about it understandingly and are ready and 

 eager for suitable names. In most cases, scientific names are necessary, as 

 they have a definite meaning, each for its place. In case of very young 

 persons they can usually learn these scientific names just as easily as the 

 common ones. 



To aid in, this work a teacher may plan an exhibition or fair consisting 

 of flowers, leaves, roots, buds, wild fruits, nuts, berries, monstrosities, and 

 perhaps contributions from the vegetable garden, orchard and flower 

 garden. At such time there should be a nice but short lecture, and above 

 all, reports of committees who have examined the objects exhibited. 



A part of these things may be kept, and others added to make a museum. 

 If only temporary, for the term, it will be worth all it costs. If it cannot 

 be placed in the school room, place it under a shed, or in the open air near 

 the house where it may be seen and talked about. 



There may be short excursions for observation and collecting, and notes 

 made covering the poisonous and the most useful, as well as the most 

 beautiful plants. 



There can be a May-day party, with a variety of suitable exercises, a 

 June flower festival, and an exploration of the neighboring woods in season 

 to collect various colored autumn foliage with which to decorate the school 

 room. 



Almost any out of the way place may be better than none in which may 

 be planted, by each pupil, one or more different sorts of wild herbs or 

 shrubs, many of which will survive and do very well without much further 

 attention, provided they are near the woods where autumn leaves annually 

 mulch the ground. Here may be collected and planted all sorts of wild vines 

 that can be found, and every kind of native tree that any one knows of. 

 Hints for arbor day have already been given, and interesting programs 

 carried out by many public schools. In such exercises there is, usually, con- 

 siderable unprofitable sentiment in regard to " sparing that tree," regard- 

 less of all conditions. In too many cases the after care of the trees planted 

 is discouraging, and the value of the lessons thus imparted far from satis- 

 factory. The most valuable part of an arbor day will usually be the carry- 

 ing out of a well planned literary program in the school-house or in the 

 grove. One of this kind was carried out at a forestry convention held in 

 Grand Eapids, January 26, 1888. At that convention children represented 

 various kinds of native trees, each of whom enumerated his own good qual- 

 ities. The text for most of this program appeared in the Michigan Agri- 

 cultural Eeport for 1888; als in the Prairie Farmer soon after; also in 

 Arbor Day, a book containing many valuable hints, edited by Hon. E. W. 

 Furnas, of Nebraska; also in the Arbor Day Manual, by Hon. C. E. 

 Skinner, Deputy Supt. of Public Instruction, Albany, N. Y. 



