ON EDUCATIONAL TRAINING FOR OVERSEAS LIFE. 291 



C. Other activities. 



(1) The class records observations made of air temperature and soil tempera- 



ture ; 



(2) Raises when necessary supplies of plants having special botanical signi- 



ficance. 

 Form IV.— Boys and Girls. Average age, 14. Hours per week, 4J. 



A. Chemistry. 



(a) Experimental study of the following : The atmosphere, water, oxygen, 

 hydrogen, nitrogen, oxides, acids, bases and salts, carbon dioxide, ammonia, 

 common calcium compounds ; (6) in addition the following : law of 

 constant composition, chemical change, chemical equations, symbols, 

 formulse, atoms and molecules. 



B. and C. Plant life, etc. 



(a) Seeds and seedlings, individual experimental work — e.g. : structure of seed ; 

 absorption of water by seed ; increase in weight and volume ; respiration 

 of seed, effect of temperature on germination ; (b) plant nutrition ; water 

 cultures, sand cultures. Potato experiments (eight-plot test : law of 

 diminishing returns ; observation of same only ; results considered in Vc) ; 

 photosynthesis, respiration in plants and animals ; (c) the use of a Flora ; 

 (d) work in the garden : (i. ) raising plants from seed, etc. ; (ii. ) management 

 of border ; (iii.) experiments arising from the indoor course. 

 Form Vc. — Boys and Girls. Average age, 15. Hours per week, 4^. 



A. Chemistry continued : 



(a) The three mineral acids — preparation, composition and reactions, sodium, 

 potassium — their hydroxides : phosphorus, sulphur, and carbon — their 

 oxides and acids derived from same : phosphates, sulphates, carbonates ; 

 salts of importance in agriculture ; (b) organic chemistry — introduction to 

 such materials as proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, by examination of 

 simple foodstuffs and vegetable matter. 



B. Physics. 



Simple treatment of energy — transformation and conservation of energy — 

 electricity, light, heat, etc., as forms of energy. Heat treated in greater 

 detail : the thermometer — time temperature curves. Change of state — 

 latent heat ; boiling points, etc. ; quantity of heat— specific heat. 

 Expansion, conduction, convection, radiation. 



C. and D. Plant life, etc. 



(1) Soil— origin — structure — water content— organic content — clay, sand, and 

 humus — pore space, air space. Movement of water in soil — capillarity- 

 surface tension — diffusion — effect of cultural operations on water content. 

 Soil temperature — factors controlling it, drainage — hedges — slope — colour. 

 Micro-organisms present in soil — fermentation, decay— nitrification ; 

 denitrification — bacteria in relation to food — milk, butter. (2) Experi- 

 mental results — consideration of numerical results from various experiments 

 (chiefly dealing with potatoes). (3) Greenhouse and frames. In relation 

 to radiation, convection, sunshine, humidity of atmosphere, etc. 

 Form Va. and b. Average age, 16. Hours per week, 3. 



The whole of the previous year's work revised, with necessary extension and 

 amplification, e.g. the vernier, Boyle's Law, fluid pressure, comparison of plant ash 

 with soil, physical and chemical processes involved in composition and decomposition 

 of plants and animals. Other elements of importance in plant nutrition, e.g. magne- 

 sium, iron — their oxides and common salts. 



Potato Experiments, 1925 : Law of Diminishing Returns. 



Nine plots are used on which potatoes are grown with variable quantities of potash 

 and nitrogen (phosphates constant). 



The data are used for such problems as — 



1. Calculation of weight of fertiliser to be applied. 



2. Calculation of percentage of potash, phosphates, and nitrates in dressing. 



3. Calculations of yield : total crop per acre and ratio of crop to seed. 



4. Comparison of yields. 



5. Relation between yield, cost, etc. 



In addition, useful observations are made by the children during the growing 

 SBSiSon. 



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