MANUAI, OF NATURE STUDY. 45 



arrangement of buds or leaves on the branch. For 

 this purpose collect very carefully young shoots of 

 normal growth of the several trees studied. Dis- 

 tribute them to the pupils, giving to each as many 

 specimens as kinds of trees. Begin with linden 

 and require each pupil to hold in an erect position, 

 a branch of that kind of tree. Place one hand 

 upon the lowest bud or leaf. Where is the first 

 leaf above that one as related to the lowest? 

 Where the second ? The third ? The fourth, and 

 so on? Which leaves or buds are vertically above 

 the lowest ? Start with any other leaf and see if 

 the same result is true. Try the elm and com- 

 pare it with the linden as to arrangement. Take 

 the birch, beech, walnut, apple, pear, peach, and 

 note in each case the number of times it will be 

 necessary to follow the spiral of buds or leaves 

 around the stem before reaching the leaf vertically 

 above the first. Now take the maple and box elder 

 and have the pupils state the diflference in leaf ar- 

 rangement between them and the other trees. 

 This will lead to the terms opposite and alternate 

 as applied to the position of leaves upon the stalk. 

 The buds of all maples and box elders are oppo- 

 site, while those of most other trees are alternate. 

 At another time collect some gasses or garden 

 plants of any kind and study their leaf arrange- 

 ment in same way. 



