30 BULLETIN 305, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 
DECEMBER. 
(Plate IV.) 
To TEACHERS.—The accompanying calendar is a suggestion for the winter months. 
FIRST AND SECOND GRADES. 
PLANTS. ° 
Review the lesson with potatoes and turnips. Observe the trees. 
Note their condition at this season and compare with earlier months. 
Teach the pupils to recognize winter evergreens such as holly, bay, 
_~ laurel (ivy), mistletoe, and magnolia. 
Assigned work.—There should be growing im the school or home 
gardens spinach, collards, lettuce, and possibly cabbage. If these 
plants are not found in the school garden one or more specimens of 
each should be brought to school for study and comparison. If 
different varieties are grown a sample of each variety should be 
brought. Direct the attention of the pupils along the following lines: 
(1) Examine the roots, stems, and leaves. (2) What part of each 
plant is used as food—roots, stems, leaves? (3) The leaves of which 
form compact heads—cabbage, collards, lettuce, spinach? Do ail 
varieties of lettuce form heads? (4) How may cabbage be distin-— 
guished from collards? From lettuce? (5) How may lettuce be 
distinguished from spinach? (6) Have the pupils name all the 
garden plants that they know, the leaves of which are used as food. 
Practical work.—Providing the material for the foregoing lessons 
affords interesting work. 
Follow instructions given in the October exercise as to the care of 
the hyacinths. 
Have the members of this grade grow some Chinese sacred narcissus 
or lily plants to give as Christmas presents to their mothers and 
friends. Observe the following directions: 
(1) Have each pupil secure a glass dish or crock 3 ay deep and 6 inches in 
diameter. 
(2) Secure two large bulbs from seed store. Cut away shallowly the hard skin 
at the top of the bulbs, being careful not to injure the leaf growth. _ 
(3) Get some coarse pebbles. Puta layer 1inch deep in the dish. Set bulbs! 
on thislayer. Fill in around bulbs with pebbles until dish is filled. 
(4) Put in sufficient water to cover lower half of bulbs. As bulbs continue to 
grow add more water. After bulbs have grown sufficiently high, fill 
dish each day with warm water. Pour water in gently on one side and 
let it flow out on the other side until there has been an entire change of 
water. 
(5) Keep dish in warm place away from sun for two weeks, then give it 
abundant sunshine. 
1 Florists often slit the bulbs vertically around the apex asif to quarter, but cut only about one- 
fourth ofan inch deep. This is thought to facilitate flowering. 
