138 APPENDIX II 



thoroughly into the spirit of the nature-study proposed. 

 The plant should be to the teacher, a living thing whose life- 

 history is a reality and he must contrive to raise the minds 

 of his pupils above the drudgery of the work to the lessons 

 to be drawn from it. No book can take the place of the 

 teacher ; it can only assist and counsel. 



The outline will admit of much amplification in most 

 subjects, and the teacher will find, even in using it, much 

 chance for original methods and subject matter. 



Material. The selection of material has been made with 

 much care by the writer and he believes that he has suc- 

 ceeded, in almost every case, in recommending something 

 available throughout the more populous portions of this 

 country, from ocean to ocean. On account of the wide 

 diversity in flora, the writer has recommended garden plants 

 wherever possible. The teacher should become acquainted 

 with the local flora, however, and study it with reference 

 to the particular needs of the laboratory instruction. Such 

 a knowledge will enable the teacher to introduce mate- 

 rial, often more suitable than that recommended or to 

 substitute one thing for another which is not accessible for 

 the time being. 



Preserved material must necessarily be used, instead of 

 living, in many cases. Many things, such as leaves, twigs 

 with buds, dry fruits, etc., may be simply dried, and laid 

 away ; but flowers, fleshy fruits, etc., must be preserved in 

 liquid. One of the best preservatives is Formalin * or For- 

 malose, a 40 % solution of Formaldehyde. It is a clear liquid 

 with a penetrating and irritating odor, and is prepared for 

 use by mixing one or two parts (by measure) with 100 parts 



1 Any druggist can readily obtain the Formalin, Formalose, or 40% 

 Formaldehyde, all three being practically the same article under different 

 trade names. 



