PREFACE 
a 
THE newer points of view and the advanced methods in 
the study of botany during the past few years have greatly 
increased its desirability and efficiency as a disciplinary as 
well as an informational subject for study in secondary 
schools. It is believed that suggestions as to the laboratory 
and field work to be done by the students, based upon the 
more recent conception of the subject, will prove helpful. 
The diversity in age, maturity, and environment of the 
pupils who may pursue the subject, and the variations in 
the materials and equipment at their disposal, make it im- 
possible, to formulate outlines that shall meet equally well 
the needs of all classes of students. Fairly definite sugges- 
tions are presented, however, and it is understood that each 
teacher will make additions or eliminations wherever such 
become advisable for his purposes. 
In the author’s opinion much laboratory work has led 
to confusion or incoherent knowledge through an attempt 
to compel the student to discover things for himself which 
can not be so discovered. The so-called “development ” 
method of teaching too often results in an ineffectual at- 
tempt of the teacher to lead the student to make a discov- 
ery. The student will certainly gain power and knowledge 
by such work in the laboratory, and he should be encour- 
aged to do it within proper limitations. But those facts 
which he can not discover, and many even which he can, 
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