viii PREFACE 



of newly discovered facts, and the temptation has proved 

 irresistible to introduce their technicalities into the ele- 

 mentary curriculum. But the childhood of the race was 

 very long, and we should not wish to force its period, brief 

 at best, in the life of the individual. The weathering of 

 rock and the formation of soil afford interesting lessons 

 in modern geology ; but men dug and planted, and estab- 

 lished fruitful relations with Mother Earth thousands of 

 years before geology was even dreamed of. So with com- 

 bustion and the various forms of water : why not let chil- 

 dren wonder about them for a few years, and then come 

 with interest keen and fresh to their study in the chem- 

 istry and physics of the high school or the college .' By 

 leaving out everything else, however, I do not wish to 

 insinuate that the study of living things is all of nature 

 study. But other sides of nature are so fully represented 

 in plans for nature-study courses now before the public, 

 — I am tempted to say so much too fully represented — 

 that my conscience is perfectly clear in leaving them to 

 shift for themselves. 



Many recent books presenting courses of nature study 

 have divided the lessons according to the seasons and 

 terms of the school year. This form is doubtless of serv- 

 ice to some teachers. I have not been able to adopt 

 it, however, for two reasons : Nature's changes were not 

 arranged according to our school courses, and the pre- 

 dominant importance of subject-matter precludes such 

 cramped and formal treatment ; my purpose is to bring 

 nature into relation to child life rather than to school life, 

 to make it a continuous source of delight, profit, and 

 highest education rather than a formal school task. I 



