EXEECISES FOE SOUTHERN EUBAL SCHOOLS. 23 



becoming familiar with the cones and leaves should constitute the 

 work. Pupils of this grade should observe the fall crops to be able 

 to distinguish young grains from clovers. They should be able to 

 name at sight the young garden plants. Some specimens of each 

 plant should be brought to the schoolroom for the purpose of famil- 

 iarizing the pupils with them. 



Assigned work. — Before the weeds and wild-flower stalks that are 

 dying down have disappeared, the teacher and pupils should go out 

 with a grubbing hoe and dig up and bring to school the roots of a 

 number of those that have been studied. 



Place the roots in two groups — those that are branching and thin 

 in one and those that are thick and fleshy in another. Emphasize 

 the fact that the roots in the first group belong to annual plants and 

 are of no further service, and that those in the second group furnish 

 food for a new growth the following spring. Weeds of the first group 

 are destroyed by preventing their producing seed, and those of the 

 second by keeping the tops and the leaves cut back so that food 

 can not be stored up in the roots or underground stems. 



Discard the first lot. Take the second lot and regroup them. Put 

 those that have "eyes" or buds into one group and those that have 

 not into another. Which are true roots ? Which underground stems ? 

 Look for Johnson grass, poke, Canada thistle, cocklebur, jimson weed, 

 ragweed, crab grass, and ground cherry. (See Farmers' Bui. 660.) 



Practical work. — Carrying out the suggestions above outlined pro- 

 vides practical exercises. Fleshy roots and underground stems should 

 be dried and mounted or stored. 



Correlations. — Short written descriptions of the different kinds of 

 roots found provide practice work in language. 



Drawing: Abundant material is supplied for drawings. Young 

 field and garden plants and the roots and underground stems found 

 should be outlined. 



ANIMALS. 



Review and continued work. — Keep up the population studies. 



Note and record the names of birds that leave for a warmer climate; 

 also the arrival of new birds. Some are transients and some come to 

 spend the winter. Do they travel in flocks or alone? What do they 

 eat? Do they frequent woods, fields, swamps, orchards, or gardens? 

 Begin to look for wild geese, and ducks, red-winged blackbirds, robins, 

 crow-blackbirds, junco or snowbird. 



Observations should be continued for the purpose of learning the 

 use <>f feathers on the different parts of the body — shedding water, 

 warmth, flying, balancing in air or on perches, propping on trees. 



AY/r work assigned. The horse is one of the most faithful animals, 

 and as the cold weather comes on his welfare should be kept in mind. 



