A GRADED COURSE OF NATURE-STUDY 505 



groves— how started? Visit nursery. Refer to the plant- 

 ing on the prairies and changes wrought thereby. Discuss 

 the amount of lumber still standing. Compare with former 

 times. Trace the decline of the white pine industry in the 

 United States. Where did it start? Where is it to-day? 

 What shall we do when all the forests are gone? Discuss 

 what has been done in Europe for over a hundred years in the 

 way of forest planting and preservation, and the present 

 condition of forests started 80 or 100 years ago. How long 

 does it take a forest crop to become useful (thirty years), how 

 long before mature? (80 years.) Necessity of state or 

 national control. The work of generations. Emphasize 

 the need of altruism in this work. Refer to the various state 

 and national forest reserves. Use map. Relation of the 

 national reserves to irrigation. Refer to national parks for 

 beauty of scenery and pleasure places. An interesting case 

 is the Sequoia Reserve in California. Study these trees^ 

 Develop a sentiment in favor of forestry. Encourage boys 

 to turn their attention to it for practical application on the 

 home farm or for further study for the career of forester. 

 Describe the life and duties of a German forester. Send 

 for Farmers' bulletins on the subject of farm forestry. Read 

 the U. S. Agricultural Year-books on the subject, and also 

 elementary books on agriculture and forestry. Also read 

 magazine articles. (220, 219, 218, 217, 222, 223, 226, 228, 

 231, 241.) Consider the beauty of forests in scenery.* 

 (216, 214, 475c.) 



Improvement of plant varieties : Discuss how tLc corn 

 crop may be improved by selection of good seed. Descrip- 

 tion of Luther Burbank and his work. What he has done 

 to change and improve plants. (210, magazines.) Make 



