Nature Study subjects and other
subjects of the school curriculum. The textbooks in some of the others
may be necessary and sufficient; in Nature Study it is at most only
subsidiary, serving simply as a guide to the thing that is to be
studied; unless the thing itself be before the class it is no better
than a guide to a cathedral would be without the cathedral. And just
as the guide is successful only when he directs the attention of the
stranger to the important features of the place, and fails directly he
becomes garrulous and distracts attention, so a Nature Study book
succeeds {xii} only in as far as it helps in the study of the actual
thing, and fails if it is used passively and is substituted for an
active study. No description or illustration can take the place of
direct observation; the simplest thing in Nature is infinitely more
wonderful than our best word pictures can ever paint it.

The author recommends the teacher to look through the chapter before it
has to be taken in class and then to make a few expeditions in search
of local illustrations. It is not strictly necessary that the chapters
should be taken in the order given. The local phenomena must be dealt
with as they arise and as weather permits, or the opportunity may pass
not to return again during the course. In almost any lane, field, or
garden a sufficient number of illustrations may be obtained for our
purpose; if a stream and a hill are accessible the material is
practically complete, especially if the children can be induced to
pursue their studies during their summer holiday rambles. Of course
this entails a good deal of work for the teacher, but the results are
worth it. Children enjoy experimental and observation lessons in which
they take an active part and are not merely passive learners. The
value of such lessons in developing their latent powers and in
stimulating them to seek for knowledge in the great book of Nature is a
sufficient recompense to the enthusiastic teacher for the extra trouble
involved.

It is not desirable to work through a chapter in one lesson. Children
unaccustomed to make experiments or to see experiments done, will
probably require three or four lessons for getting through each of the
first few chapters, and two or three lessons for each of the others.

{xiii}

The pot experiments of Chaps. VI., VII. and VIII. should be started as
early in the course as possible. Twenty flower pots are wanted for t