120 NATURE STUDY AND AGRICULTURE 



SWEET PEA.— Third Grade 



Fall. — Problems: How does the plant hold itself up, 

 and how does it scatter its seeds? 



How tall are the sweet-pea plants ? Are the stems large 

 around or not? What is the shape of the stem? Can 

 one of these stems stand upright without a support ? How 

 does it hold on to the support? How have the tendrils 

 succeeded in taking hold of the support? Where are the 

 tendrils ? How many can you find on one plant ? W r here 

 are the pods; near the lower part of the plant or near the 

 top ? How long is a pod ? Find some pods that are green 

 and some that are ripe. Note how they differ from one 

 another. How many seeds in one pod ? Find a pod that 

 has no seeds left in it. Notice that the two parts are 

 twisted. Watch other pods to see if you can find out why 

 they curl up like this. When the seeds are ripe the pod 

 begins to dry. At night the dew moistens it, and in the 

 morning the warm sun dries it out again and it becomes 

 warped. All at once some day it splits open, and the two 

 parts curl up and fling the seeds in every direction. If you 

 should leave the seeds lying on the ground over winter 

 some of them might grow. But if you want to be sure of a 

 crop of sweet peas next summer you must gather the seeds 

 and put them away. 



Spring.— Problem: What must we do in order to have 

 many beautiful sweet pea blossoms this summer? 



Indoor work. Decide where, when, and how to plant 

 sweet peas. These plants do well anywhere in rich, 

 mellow soil, and in plenty of sunshine. They may be 

 planted along a fence, or close to a building, or out in the 



