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soaked for many days in soft water, after which the green pulp may be rubbed off, carefully, with a soft cloth. The remaining skeleton of the leaf should be immersed for twelve hours in a solution consisting of one ounce of chloride of lime and one quart of water. The various forms of venation should be illustrated in this way.

12. Cross sections of trees form a very interesting part of a collection of woods. The sides should be exactly parallel, so that when piled, with those of the largest diameter at the bottom, the disks will form a cone. They may be joined together by means of screw eyes in the opposite sides, or extended into a chain. There should be two screw eyes on each side, which should be loosely linked or tied in such a manner that the disks may be either piled or extended at will.

Small longitudinal slabs of wood, having the general shape of a book, with the natural bark for the back, may be placed together in a case, as different volumes of a work are placed in the same box. A shallow box will answer for the case. Strips of wood of triangular section may be formed into a rope ladder, by means of chains of strings passing along the ends. The natural bark should be left to form one of the sides of the triangle. In these collections, exposed portions of the wood may be coated with white varnish. Labels should be placed upon the disks, below the centers; upon the book-form slabs, in the manner of the title of the book; upon the rungs of the rope ladders, on the upper triangular surface.

13. Microscopic slides without objects are called slips. They should consist of a piece of clear glass, 3 × 1 inches in size, with a small square or circular cover of very thin glass. They may be procured of dealers or prepared by the teacher with little trouble. A ring of cement (shellac dissolved in alcohol) about the center, to hold up and attach the cover, will inclose a space in which the object may be placed, and, if dry, fixed by touching with the white of an egg. The

slide may be covered with colored paper, leaving circular holes above and below the cell, and should be carefully labeled across one end.

14. A plain folio drawing book should be kept by members of classes in botany, in which to record microscopic investigations. Artistic and carefully developed drawings are not required. Simple outline drawings with a sketch pencil will answer every purpose. A brief description should accompany each sketch.

15. Plants are often interesting subjects for microscopic investigation. Every teacher should possess at least a pocket lens for constant use. Where a compound microscope of high power is available, a much wider field is presented for study and investigation.

Among the more interesting objects for observation are simple cellular tissue, fibro-vascular bundles, sporangia, antheridia and archegonia, stamens and pistils, pollen from the anthers, ovaries, seeds, plant hairs, protoplasm, cell formation, and the various forms of woody structure, microscopic plants, plant crystals.

16. The teacher is not by any means expected to limit his collection to the articles above described, though for the sake of a general system it may be well to follow the directions here given. Many other suitable means of preserving and displaying specimens and illustrating facts brought out in the study of plants will occur to the ingenious teacher. "Plants may teach us lessons in sacred things," says Alphonso Wood. "While we study the facts and the forms of the vegetable world, we should also aim to learn the purposes accomplished, and the great principles adopted in its creation. We should also learn to recognize here the tokens (too long overlooked) which declare that nature sympathizes with humanity in the circumstances of the Fall, the Redemption, and the Life. Such study alone is adapted to acquaint us with the thoughts of the intelligent Creator, and to discipline aright the mind which was created in His image.

SCH. INT. & DUT.-10

"Botany combines pleasure with improvement. It conducts the student into the fields and forests, amidst the verdure of spring and the bloom of summer; to the charming retreats of Nature in her wild luxuriance, or where she patiently smiles under the improving hand of cultivation. It furnishes him with vigorous exercise, both of body and mind, which is no less salutary than agreeable, and its subjects of investigation are all such as are adapted to please the eye, refine the taste, and improve the heart." Benefit of Arbor Day Celebrations. It is an error to suppose that Arbor Day observances are profitable and appropriate only to certain classes of schools. There is no school in city or town or country that may not be benefited by a hearty celebration of the day in some form. It subserves a variety of interests material, social, educational, moral, and scientific.

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To the country and town schools, Arbor Day brings the improvement of school surroundings, and the pleasant social gathering of the neighborhood; to city schools, the enjoyment of floral decorations, a break in the monotony of school routine by exercises of a highly interesting and elevating character, and, perhaps, also, a delightful visit to parks or groves; to the high school grades, a scientific entertainment, whether within doors or without, of great value as an auxiliary to their science study. Let the day be observed in some appropriate form in every school; let it be productive of moral and material good in every grade; and the memory of Arbor Day will last through after years, lingering as a beautiful picture of school life, and exerting its influence upon the character of the people.

CHAPTER VII

THE DICTIONARY, AND HOW TO USE IT

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Ethics of Words. The correct use of English words is a matter of greater importance than might appear upon a superficial consideration of the subject. We are not apt to think of it from the standpoint of morals, yet to the conscientious person it has a moral side.

What true man or woman is there, who, having received a valuable heritage in trust, to be transmitted to successors, does not feel a personal responsibility for the faithful guardianship of such trust? If the property be in the form of money, all the world will quickly hold to account the unjust or careless steward who allows it to be wasted and causes a deficit to appear in his final reckoning.

Again, what worthy citizen enjoying the use of any great public work, be it monument or edifice, will contribute to its defacement or injury by any act of vandalism? But is there a heritage of money or a public monument of brick or stone that can compare in value with the language of the Anglo-Saxon world?

When the preservation of the English language in all its purity and strength is considered from the standpoint of moral obligation, the case is much stronger than if any other language of the world were under consideration. For, in the first place, the English is apparently destined to become the universal language of the earth. In the second place, this language is by far the most copious and delicate that has ever been spoken on the globe.

Finally, the English literature is the most valuable in all the world of letters, and, by means of masterly translations, is destined to include all the great works in the literature of the entire world. The history of the present century has fixed the fate of our language. In the opening years the Spanish, French, and German languages were spoken each by a greater number of people than spoke English. At the century's closing, the almost incredible advance of the English language and literature has left all competitors very far behind, while the rate of increase is at this moment greater than before.

The English is a double language,' and this fact accounts for its vast number of words. In the conquests of nations which history relates, the language of the conquerors generally replaces that of the conquered. The Norman conquest of England, in 1066, is an exception to this rule. The Norman nobles, in England, continued to speak the Norman French, while the English inhabitants retained their own speech, until, after the lapse of centuries, each of the nationalities had acquired the language of the other. Inher-` iting, as we do, two or more words where other nations generally possess but one, we are enabled to express the finest shades of meaning; for our so-called synonyms have acquired, usually, a slight differentiation of signification and use. We are thus able to distinguish between freedom and liberty, begin and commence, supply and furnish, answer and reply, etc.

The misuse of words tends to change their meaning, and to lessen their value. By preserving the true meanings of words we shall be able to transmit to posterity and to the world of the future the greatest and best medium of com

1 The English language-like all other modern languages - contains words derived from many different sources. Nineteen twentieths of our words, however, are found to be derived from the two elements as stated -the Anglo-Saxon and the Norman French. The dividing line between these lies near the middle. Of the words used by Shakspeare, 60 per cent

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