98 NATURE STUDY AND AGRICULTURE 



weed; habits of growth; root; flower; fruit; what charac- 

 teristics make it a successful weed ? how should it be com- 

 bated ? its competition with the bluegrass; what advantages 

 does each possess over the other ? to what great plant family 

 does it belong ? what are the characteristics of this family ? 

 examine a flower head under the dissecting microscope, mak- 

 ing out the external appearance of the individual flower; 

 observe centrifugal maturing of flowers; mark dandelion 

 plants to determine rate of maturation of floral heads and 

 fruit; determine rate of growth in length of the scape after 

 floral maturity; determine effect of environment upon 

 length of scapes; plantain, crabgrass, and other lawn weeds 

 which may be encountered in abundance; the mole as an 

 enemy of the lawn; its habits; its special adaptations for its 

 mode of life. See also grubworm below. 



Birds: Brown thrasher; wren; catbird; make and put up 

 boxes for the wrens. 



Encourage the pupils to continue observation upon these 

 birds especially during the summer months. This applies 

 to summer studies of the respective birds in each grade and 

 under proper stimulus the interest appears to be well main- 

 tained through the long vacation. 



Insects: Grubworms and May beetles; the grubworm 

 an enemy of the lawn; recall grasshopper and cricket study 

 in this connection; roll worms on strawberries; watch for 

 these moth larvae early and remove, keeping a few in a 

 jar in order to work out the life history; it is the second 

 brood that does the greatest damage. 



