EXERCISES FOR SOUTHERN RURAL SCHOOLS, 23 
becoming familiar with the cones and leaves should constitute the 
work. Pupils of this grade should observe the fall crops to be able 
to distinguish young grains from clovers. They should be able to 
name at sight the young garden plants. Some specimens of each 
plant should be brought to the schoolroom for the purpose of famil- 
iarizing the pupils with them. 
Assigned work.—Before the weeds and wild-flower stalks that are 
dying down have disappeared, the teacher and pupils should go out 
with a grubbing hoe and dig up and bring to school the roots of a 
number of those that have been studied. 
Place the roots in two groups—those that are branching and thin 
in one and those that are thick and fleshy in another. Wmphasize 
the fact that the roots in the first group belong to annual plants and 
are of no further service, and that those in the second group furnish 
food for a new growth the following spring. Weeds of the first group 
are destroyed by preventing their producing seed, and those of the. 
second by keeping the tops and the leaves cut back so that food 
can not be stored up in the roots or underground stems. 
Discard the first lot. Take the second lot and regroup them. Put 
those that have ‘“‘eyes’’ or buds into one group and those that have 
notinto another. Which are trueroots? Which underground stems ? 
Look for Johnson grass, poke, Canada thistle, cocklebur, jimson weed, 
ragweed, crab grass, and ground cherry. (See Farmers’ Bul. 660:) 
Practical work.—Carrying out the suggestions above outhned pro- 
vides practical exercises. Fleshy roots and underground stems should 
be dried and mounted or stored. 
Correlations.—Short written descriptions of the different kinds of 
roots found provide practice work in language. 
Drawing: Abundant material is supped for drawings. Young 
field and garden plants and the roots and underground stems found 
should be outlined. 
ANIMALS. 
Review and continued work.—Keep up the population studies. 
Note and record the names of birds that leave for a warmer climate; 
also the arrival of new birds. Some are transients and some come to 
spend the winter. Do they travel in flocks or alone? What do they 
eat? Do they frequent woods, fields, swamps, orchards, or gardens ? 
Begin to lock for wild geese and ducks, red-winged blackbirds, robins, 
crow-blackbirds, junco or snowbird. | 
Observations should be continued for the purpose of learning the 
use of feathers on the different parts of the body—shedding water, 
warmth, flying, balancing in air or on perches, propping on trees. 
New work assigned.—The horse is one of the most faithful animals, 
and as the cold weather comes on his welfare should be kept in mind. 
