MANUAL OF NATURE STUDY. 13 



2. Autumn Leaves. — a. Collection of. b. Study- 

 typical forms, c. Drawings, d. Descriptions both 

 oral and written. 



Before beginning the work on leaves, the teacher 

 should read thoroughly the chapters on leaves in 

 Gray's Botany, or some other good text, and also 

 study the leaVes themselves. With Second Year 

 pupils, the external form and appearance are all 

 that can be taught to good advantage. Select sev- 

 eral varieties, after teaching the parts of a single 

 leaf, and compare them in regard to size, shape, 

 color, surface, margin and veins. Such exercises 

 will lead to the following conclusions : 



1. There are two kinds of leaves, simple and 

 compound, a. Simple leaves have but one blade 

 on a foot stalk, b. A compound leaf has two or 

 more bladelets, each usually with a separate petiole, 

 but all joined to one common petiole. 



2. The under surface of leaves is usually lighter 

 in color than the upper surface. 



3. All leaves have veins which proceed from the 

 petiole, but they are arranged in different ways in 

 different leaves. 



4. The margins or edges of leaves are either 

 smooth or cut and notched in various ways. 



5. Leaves vary in shape, size and color, so that 

 the leaf of one kind of plant can always be distin- 

 guished from that of another. 



