The purpose of the spring work is to lead the child to See that the rriaterial stored by the 

 plant during the first season's growth, which was appropriated by animals and man, was 

 either for the plant's own use during the second season or for the next generation. Starch 

 being insoluble in cold water it is very generally converted into sugar, so very soluble, in 

 order that it may be transported through the various tissues to the place where it is needed 

 for plant growth. After a moderate amount of maple sap has been collected have the child- 

 ren close the holes perfectly with corks, or wooden plugs, in order that the tree may not 

 "bleed". Ground malt may be procured from a malt house, or brewery, sending away for it if 

 necessary. One supply will last for several years. The malt sugar does not readily grain 

 but the wax-like form may be readily secured by the method indicated in the outline. A 

 small supply of maltose may be purchased from Eberbach & Son, Druggists, Ann Arbor, 

 Mich. Educational exhibits of flour and other food products made from wheat may be secur- 

 ed without cost from the Pillsbury Milling Co., Minneapolis, Minn. Tablets for making the 

 "culture fluid" may be purchased from Dr. E. W. Bigelow, Stamford, Mass., for ten cents 

 per box. The purpose of these experiments is to show that plants require no food until that 

 in the seed is exhausted, after which they will die if food is not supplied to the roots. The 

 maples will be found to possess two types of flowers, the staminate and pistillate, each borne 

 upon separate trees. The flower-dust (pollen) is being carried from one to the other by the 

 bees. By collecting flowers a few days apart the children may discover that one of these types 

 of flowers gives rise to the pairs of winged seeds, and the purpose of the flower becomes under- 

 stood. 



The spring gardening is for the purpose of getting the final stages in the life of the biennial 

 vegetables that were started in the spring of the third grade, the rearing of nut trees for the 

 school grounds and home, to teach some of the elementary principles of agriculture and to 

 get the children interested in the rearing of flowers. Children should be encouraged to start 

 small gardens at home which should be visited by the teacher. Competitive flower rearing, 

 as described in' Hodge's Nature Study, pages 94 to 100, will add zest to the work. Distribute 

 an equal number of seeds to those willing to participate and have the plants grown in pots so 

 that the best may be brought to school for the final exhibit. Have the plants numbered 

 instead of named, appoint judges and award some simple prizes. If the nuts do not sprout 

 promptly enough a search beneath the parent trees will usually reveal some that are sprouting 

 and these may be used. To the list given in the outline there may be added other nuts, as 

 the butternut, sweet chestnut, hazel, etc. A good sized bed of nasturtiums is desired for the 

 work of the fall. To furnish practice in transplanting beds of wild flowers which grow from 

 bulbs may be made a part of the garden; adder tongue, spring beauty, Jack-in-the-pulpit, 

 trillium, leek, etc. In studying the question of adaptation of plants to certain soils similar 

 plants may be grown in different soils, starting with the seeds and otherwise treated just alike. 

 Differences should be carefully looked for and, as far as possible, explained. 



In the meteorological work recommended for the three preceding grades no individual 

 records have been kept. It is now recommended that each pupil keep a record in a suitable 

 note-book of the temperature taken just at the beginning of the afternoon session, of the 

 direction, of the wind at this time and the amount of rain or snow for the previous twenty-four 

 hours. These observations may be made by special committees of the pupils and as far as 

 feasible verified by the others. For certain months the construction of temperature curves 

 upon "cross-ruled" paper will be found valuable, similar to the charts described for the third 

 grade. From the children's records determine the prevailing wind for each month and for 

 the seasons and school year. Observe the shifting of the winds as the storms pass over the 

 region and see whether any general conclusions can be reached. Omit any attempt at 

 explanation. Collect all the weather proverbs, signs and sayings current in the community 

 and test each one as often as possible. Classify them into sets which seem to be reliable, 

 doubtful and unreliable. 



HELPFUL LITERATURE. 



1. Handbook of Nature Study Lange. Outlines on squirrel and rabbit. 



2. Object Lessons in Elementary Science Murche, Vol. I., Macmillan & Co., 1902. 



3. Science Readers Murche, No. II. Outline on rabbit. Macmillan & Co., 1896. 



4. Squirrels and Other Fur Bearers Burroughs. Houghton, Mifflin & Co., 1901. 



5. Ways of Wood Folk Long. Ginn & Co., 1902. Rabbit and beaver. 



56 



