4 PREFACE 
him onward; many, he can answer for himself; some, no one 
can answer. 
Each object here given should be studied in a single lesson, 
by a single effort as it were, and each lesson has been calculated 
as closely as possible to occupy an hour exclusive of drawings or 
written work. If more time is available, it would better be 
devoted to the study of some other branch, such as birds or 
insects, not to a second lesson in laboratory work. 
The lessons are planned to set forth what a child can learn 
for himself about a given thing in one hour, not to teach all that 
is Known, or even all that he himself can know by unlimited 
study upon it. This is not a handbook of information, but a 
practical class-room guide, intended solely to develop the method 
of learning how to learn. 
Though the lessons deal with botanical specimens, many 
scientific botanical facts must necessarily remain untaught. It 
is only in university work that it 1s conceivably possible to 
teach all that is known about any one object, while in the 
school grades effective teaching must disregard much in order 
that the attention of the pupil may be concentrated on a few 
facts and the process of observation be developed. 
This course can, however, be used as an introduction to the 
study of botany in advanced grades where pupils have had but 
a limited experience in handling specimens, observing, and 
drawing, as the specimens all illustrate some interesting plant 
structure. The lemon, orange, and cranberry are berries; the 
plum and cherry are drupes; the pea a pod and a seed; the 
potato a modified stem; the beet, carrot, and radish modified 
roots and shortened stems. To this may be added asparagus, 
a stem with an apical bud; celery, a beautiful example of 
