TYPICAL LESSON PLANS 133 



Propagation. — What ways are there of starting blue- 

 grass on our lawns ? By sods and by seeds. If good sod 

 can be obtained this is the quickest way to get a lawn, 

 but the most common way is to plant seed. Have the 

 children plant a few seeds in a box in the schoolroom, or 

 better in the schoolyard, and watch the habits of growth 

 of the young plants. See if the children can find out when 

 the sod begins to form. Plant seeds at varying depths. 

 Leave some almost entirely uncovered. Determine which 

 germinate best. Sow a small plat with pure bluegrass 

 seed, another with bluegrass and white clover mixed. 

 Which succeeds better? Procure several pieces of sod, 

 each about three inches square. Place these in soil about 

 six inches apart. Watch results. What has made it pos- 

 sible for these to cover the ground ? Allow some blue- 

 grass plants to remain unmown until they have produced 

 flowers and seeds. Few children recognize the plant in 

 this stage. When do the plants begin to send up their 

 flowering stems? Begin to watch for these the last of 

 May and first of June. From what part of the plant does 

 the flower stem grow? How tall do these flower stems 

 grow? Measure several and compare. Are there any 

 leaves on the flower stem ? Is this stem solid or hollow ? 

 Notice that the stem branches into many slender parts 

 which bear the small scalelike flowers. Note the color 

 of the branch. 



Do not try to make out the parts of the flowers. The 

 children may be interested to know that grasses do not have 

 bright petals as so many other flowers do, but that they do 

 have stamens and pistils. The stamens may be readily 

 found in the bluegrass. When the flowers have become 



