ix tiny leaves folded up and supported
on a short bit of stem. Some of the buds have, in addition to leaves, a
tiny young flower cluster. All of these things are densely covered with
white down. The down is the fur coat to protect the tender parts from
the cold.

REVIEW LESSON

Review the lesson on buds, but substitute buds of the lilac or apple for
the horse-chestnut buds of the original lesson.

CORRELATIONS

The observational study of the buds and twigs is a good preparation for
busy work in art and manual training, and the pupils may be assigned
exercises, such as charcoal drawing of a horse-chestnut twig, paper
cutting of a lilac twig and buds, clay or plasticine modelling of twigs
and buds.

For oral and written language exercises, enlarge the vocabulary of the
pupils by requiring sentences containing the words--scales, twigs, buds,
protection, terminal, lateral, leaf stalk, blade, etc.

LEAVES

Leaves, because of their abundance and the ease with which they may be
obtained, are valuable for Nature Study work. It is possible to arouse
the interest of even young children in the study of leaves, but care
must be taken not to make the observation work too minute and the
descriptions too technical for the primary classes.

FIELD EXERCISES

An excursion to the school grounds or to some neighbouring park will
suffice to bring the pupils into direct contact with the following
plants: a maple tree, a Boston ivy (or other climbing vine), a
nasturtium, a geranium.

Ask the pupils to find out where and how leaves are placed on each of
these plants, that is, whether they are on the inner parts of the
branches of the tree or out at the ends of the branches. Do the leaves
overlap one another or does each make room for its neighbours? Are the
leaves spread out flat or curled up? What holds the leaves out straight
and flat? What do the leaves need to make them green and healthy?

Are the leaves placed in the right way, and are they of the right form
to get these things?

_To the teacher._--The leaves of the plants named are quite noticeably
so placed on the plants, have such relations to one another, and are of
such outline that they present the greatest possible surface to the
_air_ and _sunshine_ and _rain_. The leaf stalk and midrib and veins are
stiff and strong to keep the leaves spread out. Compare with the ribs of
an umbrella. The benefit of sunshine to leaves and plants can be
developed by discussing wi