LEAVES 21 
for animals—the attacks of which it is sometimes found 
necessary to check. The Rose and Blackberry have out- 
growths of prickles or woody hooks along their branches ; 
the White-thorn or Hawthorn, and the Furze, are covered 
with thorns, whilst the Holly and Thistle have sharp spines 
attached to their leaves. The leaves of other plants have 
an unpleasantly bitter taste, whilst others, again, are 
poisonous. 
NoTE.—Some of the work in this chapter might be taken up in 
the Infant Department—most of it, however, will probably be 
deferred until Standard I. is reached. Portions of it, indeed, 
might furnish material for lessons in Standard II. or Standard ITI. 
After dealing with palmate and pinnate venation, and leading 
pupils to understand what a leaf-axil means—the transition from 
the simple to the compound leaf of each type should be carefully 
worked out by means of numerous specimens. Reasons should at 
first be given in all cases for calling a leaf compound. The same 
remarks apply here as those already made on the bringing and 
preserving of leaves by pupils. 
¢ An investigation of thorns, spines, and prickles, and the con- 
i siderations involved thereby as to whether they represent leaves, 
stems, or subsidiary outgrowths, will provide most useful and 
interesting material for lessons in Standard II. and higher classes. 
“™ It must not be forgotten that all this teaching should aim at 
developing facility of verbal expression; that every lesson, 
in fact, should be a lesson in language. Pupils should be 
trained to oral description, in which an application of the 
knowledge already acquired should play an _ increasingly 
prominent part. For instance, in examining a Furze branch, a 
child should be required to state why he considers one of the 
thorns a modified leaf, and another a modified stem. 
In dealing with the two types of plants, monocotyledons and 
dicotyledons, it will not be necessary at first to introduce these 
names—certainly not in the lower classes—though there is no 
reason why they should not be learnt and used by pupils in the 
higher standards. The comparison and contrast between the two 
types at this stage will provide material for a useful revision of 
work already done. 
