it until some one who really knew told me it was all right. But the 

 acorn I tasted was bitter, and I think even squirrels would not care to 

 eat such bitter food if any other could be obtained. It may be all 

 acorns do not taste the same. I mean to taste of the different kinds, 

 and also -natch the squirrels, when I go out next time. 



While I ^-las wondering if there were any animals that really liked 

 bitter things to eat, I noticed one of the acorns had a small hole in 

 the side of it. and at once susjoected that there was a worm inside. 

 (Jutting it open, I found no worm, for it had already escaped, and had 

 left behind only some l>rown stuff like wet sawdust, in the place of the 

 kernel. 



I now noticed for the iirst time that about half of the acorns I had 

 thrown into the water when I came from the woods had sunk to the 

 bottom and the otliers floated. (See Fig. 2). I cut into some of them 

 and found that the ones tliat floated were quite brown and dead 

 inside, and some had white worms in them; not exactly worms either, 

 but larva^ that will probably change into some kind of insects. I 

 intend to plant the rest "f the floating acorns in a box of dirt, and 

 tie a piece of mosquito netting over the top of the box. If I keep 



the box in a wann room, 

 and do not have it too wet 

 or too dry, the insects 

 ought to come out after a 

 time, and as they can not 

 get away, I shall be able to 

 see what they look like. 

 There may be a good many 

 kinds that like to eat 

 acoriis; we shall see. 



The acorns that went to 

 the bottom of the water I planted in a liox of soil in a sunny window, 

 and they are ah-cady coming up. The young oak as it comes through 

 the ground is a rather curious ijlant. It is a slender stalk, without 

 leaves at first, at least nut true lea\-es, but with a number of small 

 scales, set in pairs. The upper end is bent over as it comes from the 

 ground, which is a way it has to protect the growing end from injury 

 when pushing up through the rough S(_>il. It is as if a boy should lift 

 up a cellar door from beneath by putting his shoulder to it, so as not 

 to injure his head. I'otatoes when they are coming up through the 

 ground do the same thing, and many other plants. 



More curious things yet are going on under ground. Dig up some 

 of the young plants and m ash ofl: the dirt. It was fortunate that I 



Fig. 2. A dish of acorns: the bad ones floating, 

 and the good ones at the bottom. 



