482 NATURE-STUDY 



dies. (Insecticides: 229, 222, 241, seed catalogues.) Urge 

 home gardening. Encourage parents to give children owner- 

 ship of their produce. Ofifer seedlings from school. Plant 

 the rose cuttings and layered carnations. (221, 229, 232.) 

 Make a fern garden in a moist shady place. Prepare a rich 

 wood loam bed. Get the ferns from the woods. Make an 

 ornamental rockery with traihng flowers. Arrange a birds' 

 drinking trough at the top. If city water is available a pipe 

 could be laid in the rock and a fountain made to play. Ce- 

 ment could be used to hold the rock and make plant pock- 

 ets and basins for the birds. 



Arbor Day: Transplant grafted trees from the school 

 nursery in suitable places: Apple or cherry. (221, 232, 240, 

 229, 222, 241, 220, etc.) Follow directions carefully. Or 

 plant perennials (list Chapter XVI), roses or other shrubs, 

 vines or window-boxes. Observe the day at home. En- 

 courage children to clean up the school-grounds, trim trees, 

 etc., and have pride in their school. Encourage cleaning up 

 and beautifying the home grounds; try to develop civic pride 

 and a respect for the attempts of private owners to improve 

 their places. 



Elementary Agriculture: Select the best seed corn 

 (241, 222, 228, 230.) and let the boys compete at home in the 

 raising of corn, to be exhibited in the fall. 



Soil study: Kinds suitable for corn and other crops. Soil, 

 fertility, and soil moisture. Kinds of fertilizers. Purpose 

 of tillage. Ploughing, etc. Methods of planting and sow- 

 ing crops. Purpose of cultivation. Methods. Machinery 

 of the farm. Adaptation of crops to soil and climate (corn, 

 cotton). Crop rotation, purpose. (Irrigation.) Harvesting. 

 Farm pests and remedies (insects and weeds). 



