436 



NATURE STUDY AND LIFE 



language lessons, and for study and genuine acquaintance. 

 A small pool in one edge of the bed will add to its beauty 

 and may support a collection of interesting water ferns. 



Aside from their grace and beauty the interesting fact 

 connected with the study of ferns is their method of repro- 

 duction by spores. Watch the underside of the leaves, 

 and when the fruit dots, or sori, as they are called, turn 



Fig. 177. Collection of Ferns 

 George Putnam School, Roxbury, Mass. 



brown and appear to be ripe, distribute pieces of the leaf 

 to the class and let them pick out some of the spores on a 

 sheet of white paper to gain a definite idea of what is meant 

 by the much-used term " spore." The finest dustlike par- 

 ticles that they find in the sori are the spores. If a few 

 leaves are permitted to dry over a sheet of paper, spores 

 may be obtained in quantity. It may be too difficult a task 

 for the children to undertake, but if any wish to volunteer, 



