24 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA—EXPERIMENT STATION 
onions in the garden. Kind of soil needed, preparation of the seed 
bed. Various ways of growing onions. Onions for summer use; for 
winter use. Cultivation of onions. Study catalogue for culture hints 
and commercial importance of the onion crop. 
Wild flowers .—Review in a general way the studies given in pre¬ 
vious grades. Make a special study of the California Poppy. Study 
parts as in case of the nasturtium. Kind of root, stem, leaves, flower, 
bud, blossom, parts of seed, pod, etc. Why a favorite flower? Have 
children discuss why wild flowers can send up blossoms so early in 
the spring or after the rainy season has opened. 
Weeds .—What is a weed? Ways in which weeds are an injury. 
What are the common weeds of the community? See list on another 
page. Take one very common weed and find out about its root, 
wdiether a deep-boring tap root; or a tassel-like root of many fibers 
also boring deep; or a spreading, manv-branched but shallow-grow¬ 
ing; or a creeping root-stock with underground buds. Stem round, 
angled, or grooved? Solid or hollow? Rough or smooth? Hairy or 
woolly? Any spines? Strong or weak? What other peculiarities of 
stem ? Describe leaves. How arranged on a stalk ? Are leaves smooth 
or rough? Character of edges? When does the weed begin to blos¬ 
som? What kind of blossom has it? Describe the parts of the flower. 
How is the pollen carried from flower to flower, by insects or the 
wind? How do the seeds ripen, all at once or in succession? Many 
seeds or few? How scattered? What is an annual weed? A biennial? 
A perennial? Illustrations of each. 
Maple tree .—Trunk smooth or rough, branches many or few, color 
of branches and trunk? How are the branches arranged, spread out 
or growing upward ? Few or many twigs, straight or crooked ? Shape 
of tree, round or wide at bottom and pointed at top like a pyramid, 
