30 BULLETIN 305 ; TJ. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



DECEMBER. 



(Plate IV.) 

 To teachers. — The accompanying calendar is a suggestion for the winter months. 



FIRST AND SECOND GRADES. 



Review the lesson with potatoes and turnips. Observe the trees. 

 Note their condition at this season and compare with earlier months. 

 Teach the pupils to recognize winter evergreens such as holly, bay, 

 laurel (ivy), mistletoe, and magnolia. 



Assigned work. — There should be growing in the school or home 

 gardens spinach, collards, lettuce, and possibly cabbage. If these 

 plants are not found in the school garden one or more specimens of 

 each should be brought to school for study and comparison. If 

 different varieties are grown a sample of each variety should be 

 brought. Direct the attention of the pupils along the following lines: 

 (1) Examine the roots, stems, and leaves. (2) What part of each 

 plant is used as food — roots, stems, leaves ? (3) The leaves of which 

 form compact heads — cabbage, collards, lettuce, spinach? Do all 

 varieties of lettuce form heads ? (4) How may cabbage be distin- 

 guished from collards? From lettuce? (5) How may lettuce be 

 distinguished from spinach? (6) Have the pupils name all the 

 garden plants that they know, the leaves of which are used as food. 



Practical work. — Providing the material for the foregoing lessons 

 affords interesting work. 



Follow instructions given in the October exercise as to the care of 

 the hyacinths. 



Have the members of this grade grow some Chinese sacred narcissus 

 or lily plants to give as Christmas presents to their mothers and 

 friends. Observe the following directions: 



(1) Have each pupil secure a glass dish or crock 3 inches deep and 6 inches in 



diameter. 



(2) Secure two large bulbs from seed store. Cut away shallowly the hard skin 



at the top of the bulbs, being careful not to injure the leaf growth. 



(3) Get some coarse pebbles. Put a layer 1 inch deep in the dish. Set bulbs l 



on this layer. Fill in around bulbs with pebbles until dish is filled. 



(4) Put in sufficient water to cover lower half of bulbs. As bulbs continue to 



grow add more water. After bulbs have grown sufficiently high, fill 

 dish each day with warm water. Pour water in gently on one side and 

 let it flow out on the other side until there has been an entire change of 

 water. 



(5) Keep dish in warm place away from sun for two weeks, then give it 



abundant sunshine. 



1 Flo-ists often slit the bulbs vertically around the apex as if to quarter, but cut only about one- 

 fourth of an inch deep. This is thought to facilitate flowering. 



