EXEECISES FOR SOUTHERN RURAL SCHOOLS. 11 



New assignment.— Give special attention to insect pests and fungus 

 diseases of gardens, orchards, fields, and forests. During this month 

 many of these are especially active making preparations to send a 

 large number of pupae, and spores through the winter months. In- 

 sects and fungus diseases that are not recognized should be sent to 

 the State college of agriculture for identification. 



Insects found should be studied to learn their life history; that is, 

 appearance of the egg and where deposited, the appearance of the 

 larva and the proper common name to be used for it (grub, caterpillar, 

 or maggot), the length of time spent in that stage, the damage 

 done, and means of destroying; the appearance of the pupa or dor- 

 mant stage, places in which found, the time spent in this stage, and 

 the methods of destroying; the appearance of the adult and its 

 common name, the places it frequents, the damage done, if any, where 

 it deposits eggs, and methods of destroying. 



Have pupils of this grade study and make reports on insects in 

 any stage found during this month in the gardens, orchards, fields, 

 and forests. Parts of plants being attacked should be brought to 

 study the damage done. In the gardens look for cabbage and collard 

 worms, potato beetles; in fields look for the boll weevil, the cotton 

 caterpillar, and the cotton bollworm, the grass or corn worm; in 

 orchards look for the San Jose scale and the white fly (where citrus 

 fruit is grown) ; also look for the cattle tick. 



The pupils should study and report on fungus diseases. Note the 

 appearance of affected parts, the character of the damage done, and 

 methods of combating. Look for tomato blight, potato blight, 

 potato scab, apple scab, apple black rot, apple bitter rot, sooty mold 

 of citrus fruit and shrubs, fire blight of apple, pear, and quince, 

 cotton boll rot, and corn smut. (See Farmers' Buls. 243 and 440.) 



Correlations. — Keeping records of studies with birds, mammals, 

 insects, and fungus diseases and describing the damage done by 

 insects and fungi furnish ample material for written work. Best 

 records and descriptions should be given places in class notebooks. 

 (See PI. III.) 



Drawings should bo made showing the different stages of the life 

 history of insects, the damage done to plants attacked by them, and 

 the appearance of fungus diseases on plant parts attacked by them. 



These; studies may bo correlated with geography by making a map 

 of the school district showing the places in which damage is done by 

 insecl - and fungi This map should be preserved to be filled in with 

 the results of the studies La the other school months. 



Noting the. insects and fungi that arc native and those that have 

 been introduced, recording the dates of introduction in the ease of 

 tho e that nave been introduced, and writing accounts of damage 

 (Join- in e:irli i:,vc are suitable for correlation with history. 



