LESSONS WITH PLANTS 



95 



parents or anybody who knows, the best way to rear his 

 plant. A number of seeds, five to a hundred, according to 

 the variety, must of course be given to each, and it may 

 be clearly pointed out that, if a child be careful, he may 

 have a number of plants. The question being, Who can 

 raise the best single plant ? a child may try different 

 methods with different plants, and so learn for himself 

 which way is best. Thus we cultivate thoughtfulness 

 and power to reason, and initiate unconsciously into scien- 

 tific experiment, directed toward tangible and practical 

 ends. 



We may begin in the first grade with some plant of easy 

 culture and continue with more difficult plants, making 

 this a regular feature of the spring botany work through- 

 out the grammar grades. In neighborhoods where none 

 of the children have ever planted a seed or tried to rear a 

 plant of any sort, it may be necessary to begin with easy 

 plants for all grades. 



For the best success of these lessons we neea to select 

 plants as beautiful, attractive, and interesting as possible, 

 that will bloom well between time of planting and end of 

 spring term. They should also be adapted to pot culture. 

 The table on the following page may be suggestive as to 

 varieties best adapted on account of short period between 

 planting and bloom. 



This work has been tried as an experiment for the past 

 four years with increasing evidence of its value. ^ The 



^ The first year the children were purposely not told what seeds they 

 were given, and in consequence they had little else but beautifully grown 

 weeds to show at the end of the term. Petunias were planted sometimes 

 three inches deep. 



