been blown over or cut down, so that the cones in. the top- 

 most branches may easily be reached. This applies not only 

 to the pines but also to most of the conifers. 



The cones of some of the spruces fall to the gi-ound early, 

 where they may readily be gathered. This is particularly 

 true of the Xorway spruce, the large and beautiful cones of 

 which furnish most interesting objects for study. In the 

 case of the black spruce, which abounds in peat bogs, the 

 cones are generally within reach upon the smaller trees ; this 

 is also commonly true of the hemlock, the arbor vitie and 

 the tamarack or American larch. The curious berry-like 

 fruits of the red juniper and the low juniper are also very 

 easy to obtain. 



The teacher who does not avail herself of the opportunity 

 to make the collecting of these evergTcens the object of many 

 winter walks will miss a personal pleasure, and will not 

 secure the enthusiasm from her pupils that she might easily 

 get. 



In the cities one can often obtain fir balsam and some of 

 the spruces at Christmas time among the trees offered for 

 sale as Christmas trees. It will frequently happen that such 

 trees may be obtained directly from the pupils after the 

 Christmas season is over. 



In the hot. dry rooms of most schools the spruces, hemlock 

 and other conifers whose leaves are shed in drying dry out 

 rapidly and fall off. and may cause trouble for the janitors. 

 This may be avoided to a considerable extent by keeping the 

 specimens in imheated closets, or hanging them out of doors, 

 when not in use ; they will thus retain their leaves much 

 longer. 



Methods of Study. 



The teacher who appreciates the value of visual impres- 

 sions in nature study will display before the pupils twigs 

 and cones of the pines, and such other conifers as do not 

 drop their leaves in drying, mounted upon good-sized sheets 

 of paper or cardboard and plainly labelled. She will also 

 make upon the blackboard characteristic drawings of the 

 various species studied, using as far as possible colored 



