342 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



SHORT SYLLABUS OF INSTRUCTION. 



Note. — The following outline Syllabuses are not intended to indicate more than 

 broadly the subjects of instruction, and do not show the sequence of instruction, as 

 although arranged under different headings as Plant Life, Physics, Chemistry, Soil, 

 &c, the inter-relation between the parts is not indicated and can only be shown in 

 a very full Syllabus. Almost everything in the following Syllabus will be studied 

 practically by observation and by experiment. 



I. — Elementary Science Course. 



A. — Plant Life. Flowering Pla?its. 

 Study of a typical plant. 



Study of seeds. Structure, uses of various parts. Conditions of 

 germination. Fate of food-stuff stored in seed. Respiration. Testing 

 of seeds. 



Roots. Functions of roots. Fixation. Absorption of water and earth 

 salts. Osmosis. Root pressure. Bleeding of wounds. Study of substances 

 absorbed. Water-culture experiments. Mode of growth of root. Manner 

 in which it is placed in a position to do its work. Transplanting, Sec. 



Leaves. Structure. Functions. Transpiration. Source of water and 

 course of current. Conditions affecting Transpiration. Reciprocal action 

 of root and foliage. Absorption of carbon dioxide. Influence of light. 

 Phyto-synthesis and conditions affecting the making of starch in the 

 leaf. 



Buds and stems. Structure of buds. Growth and development of 

 buds. Growth of stems. Conditions affecting growth of stems. Structure 

 and function of various parts. Healing of wounds. Formation of roots 

 from stems. Effect of pruning, ringing, notching, bending, &c. Grafting 

 and budding. Climbing plants. 



Storage of food and water. Parts of plant used for vegetative 

 reproduction. Tubers, corms, runners, &c. 



Flowers. Uses of various parts. Pollination. Cross-pollination, 

 natural and artificial. Fertilisation. Formation of seeds. 



Fruits. Structure of common fruits. Seed saving. 



Study of plant relationships. The more common orders of flowering 

 plants. 



Field study of the influence of environment on plant growth. The 

 vegetation typical of certain soils, and so on. Plant societies. Use of 

 a flora. 



B. — Physics and Chemistry. 



Heat and temperature. Expansion and contraction. Thermometers. 

 Changes of state in matter. Conduction. Radiation and absorption. 

 Chemical change. 



Light. Chemical change under. Passage through prism. 



Air. Its physical properties (Barometers). Nitrogen, oxygen, carbonic 

 acid gas, water vapour in air (Hygrometer). 



Water. Chemical composition of. Physical properties. Hard and 

 soft water. Solution and solubility. 



Acids, Alkalis, and Salts. 



