444 NATURE-STUDY 



also some that have gone to seed. In the school-room make 

 a study of the head. This is not a single flower, but a collec- 

 tion of hundreds of flowers side by side. (See page 335 and 

 adapt.) Use black-board drawings freely, and make cuts 

 through the head as shown in fig. 134. Observe the tubular 

 flowers in the centre, then the rays. Derive a ray flower 

 from a tubular flower by imagining it split open on one side. 

 Note the "seeds," really the fruit. Examine the head gone 

 to seed. Note how numerous the "seeds" are and hov,- 

 closely packed. Note the green leaf -like "scales" on the 

 outside. Have pupils make diagrammatic drawings show- 

 ing details. (Suggest saving the sunflower heads when ripe 

 to hang out in winter for the birds.) (K, M, 154, 156, 158, 

 etc.) Gather wild sunflowers,* asters,* daisies,* garden 

 "single" asters,* zinnias, etc., and note that they are com- 

 posites too. (168, etc.) 



Annuals, biennials, and perennials: Observe in the gar- 

 den how the annuals die after flowering, the same season they 

 are sown; how beets, carrots, etc. have their leaves frozen 

 but the roots remain alive; similarly with perennials, some 

 are frozen above ground, others like shrubs, vines, and trees 

 persist year after year above ground. Take up carrots,* 

 beets,* cabbage,* etc., and save some for planting in the 

 spring, for further study. Discuss the meaning of fleshy 

 roots, tubers,* and bulbs* to the plant. They are store- 

 houses of food (starch — show it) for the plant's next year's 

 growth. What use do we make of them? Make a list of 

 such storehouses that we eat. (K, 152, 156, 158, 154, S, R, P.) 



Cereals, rice and corn included: Collect some of each. 

 Shell or husk it. Grind some in a mortar. Observe the 

 white powdery contents of the kernels. Examine corn- 



