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sary that the experiments be done by the teacher ; in other 

 words, the work would be in the form of a demonstration course. 

 Satisfactory work may be done by pupils working in groups, but 

 better work is done individually. 



The experiments selected should be those which possess the 

 most value ; that is, those which illustrate some fundamental 

 plant function ; and these experiments in our estimation should 

 be simple and carefully done with inexpensive apparatus. A 

 larger number of failures is likely to result from the use of simple 

 appliances, but a failure often possesses just as much pedagogical 

 value as a success. 



The question as to whether one should have a costly set of 

 appliances with which to work out a certain course in physiolog- 

 ical botany, or should make use of simple ones, is dependent 

 very largely upon the instructor. Simple apparatus in the hands 

 of an incompetent instructor would have little value, and even 

 complicated and expensive apparatus would with such an instruc- 

 tor be worth little more. 



For many years the tendency among American instructors has 

 been toward the belief that it is impossible to accomplish scien- 

 tific work without expensive apparatus, and this is unfortunate. 

 It is a well known fact that original investigation and discovery 

 does not keep pace with the improvements in appliances and the 

 more completely equipped laboratories. Some of our best in- 

 vestigators, like Professor Trowbridge of Harvard and Professor 

 Oswald of Leipzig, do not hesitate to write books advocating the 

 use of home-made apparatus. Those who make use of these 

 simple forms of appliances may therefore consider themselves in 

 good company. 



In regard to the line of experimentation, the most fundamental 

 would include simple experiments in respiration, photosynthesis, 

 transpiration, heliotropism, and geotropism. Many simple and 

 instructive as well as fundamental experiments may also be done 

 in connection with soils and plant foods, using commercial ferti- 

 lizers, if necessary. 



Massachusetts Agricultural College 



