MANUAL OF NATURE STUDY. 
155 
wild indigo all belong to tlie same family, the 
Pulse Family . Can yon tell wby ? Collect these 
flowers and see if they are alike. See if yon can 
find any other flowers that belong to this family. 
What are the points of likeness ? When these 
frnits ripen collect the pods and notice the similar¬ 
ity in pods and seeds. Of conrse these pods can 
not be collected until later in the year. Would 
yon place the clover in the same family as the 
bean? Try the pea, wistaria, sweet pea. 
Study the common mustard and note that it has 
four petals, four sepals and six stamens—four long 
and two short. Taste its stem and leaves. Get a 
collection of radish flowers, and notice points of 
likeness between them and the mustard. If possi¬ 
ble get turnip and cabbage flowers. Let pupils 
bring in any other flowers having the same points. 
These flowers all belong to the Mustard family , 
sometimes called the Cress family . There are over 
six thousand species or members of this family 
known to botanists. We cannot expect to make 
the acquaintance of the entire family, yet it is pos¬ 
sible to learn a few characteristics or marks that 
will enable us to know one of them when we have 
the opportunity. If the children will go out on the 
hillside they may be able to find the toothwort, 
which may be known as mustard by the common 
marks, and as toothwort by its root and leaves. 
