4IO NATURE-STUDY 



working, Prepare an ant cage (Chapter XIV, 47, 126, 481) 

 and feed, and observe in the school-room. (J, 136, 132.) 



Plants. 



Trees: (L, 173, etc.) With the children gather pussy- 

 willows,* and place them in water in the school-room. 

 Force buds of horse-chestnut,* lilac, maple. Observe the 

 unopened buds and follow the changes. Note the changes 

 in the landscape owing to the growth of grass and tree buds. 

 Trees have flowers: Apple,* plum,* willow, oak, maple, 

 lilac* (L, 175, etc.) Identify the trees studied in the fall 

 and the new trees mentioned. Teach that fruit and seed 

 come from the flower. Observe this in the plum, apple, 

 etc. Thus there is use as well as beauty in a flower. (K, L.) 

 Plant apple seed, acorn, maple fruit, etc. 



Gardening: Make window-boxes, prepare soil, and plant 

 Lima beans, peas, corn, grain, flower seeds. Teach proper 

 way of sowing, or planting, watering, etc. Try to note con- 

 ditions necessary by withholding water and heat from some 

 of the seeds, and note that seeds fail to grow. Observe 

 the growth of the seedlings,* how they cast their skins, etc. 

 Make a simple glass germinator (chapter XVII) and show 

 how the seed swells, bursts, and how the little plant emerges. 

 Make study simple and obsen'ational. Plant acorns, plum 

 pits, apple seeds, maple fruits, and try to cultivate them to 

 set out later. The flower seeds also may be started for later 

 transplanting out in the school-garden. (K, Q, 221, 222, 229, 

 234, 235, 237, etc.) 



The School-Garden: This grade should have a plot of 

 its own for a class, or group beds. The heavier work of 

 spading, fertilizing, and raking should be done by the 



