exercise is to require each student to prepare the synonymy of certain varieties. Suppose there are five varieties of plums which he has described. Do not let him rest with one name for each. Make him find all the names for each, and then let him determine which are the correct ones.

A very effective laboratory exercise consists in handing each student some nursery catalog, and assigning him to a verification and correction of the nomenclature.

Practical laboratory exercises in the classification of fruits are usually difficult to arrange. It is hard to get varieties enough at any one time to make classification really possible. Something can be done, however, even with a few varieties; and the teacher may always bear in mind that though the student's imperfect classifications may not advance the science of pomology at all, they may help greatly in developing the student himself.

Those teachers who have considerable collections of casts of fruits properly colored can probably use them to advantage for exercises in classification. Furthermore, since the classification of many fruits depends on leaf and twig characters, much use can be

made of the garden herbarium. And certainly no teacher of horticulture would neglect to take his students into the field and the orchard to observe there the characters which distinguish or which correlate varieties.

XXIV

LABORATORY WORK

THE great value of laboratory work in all the objective sciences is very generally recognized; in fact, this laboratory practice and investigation, involving actual study of the objects and phenomena themselves, and frequently direct experimental work also, doubtless constitute one of the leading advantages in educational value which the objective sciences enjoy over other subjects. “The laboratory method" is now everywhere spoken of in the highest terms by the men who make teaching a business. They seek to teach even psychology, history, and ethics by the "laboratory method."

There is a possibility, of course, of carrying such a method too far-of making it a fad. No one method is suited to all subjects, and it is possible also that the educative value of "the laboratory subjects" has been too much magnified in certain cases. But the teachers and students of horticulture are certain to feel that good laboratory practice has never

yet been overdone in this subject. There has been a good deal of poor laboratory work-usually under the name of practical demonstration; but even the worst of it has not been time altogether wasted. Any good system of laboratory work in pomology is, therefore, sure to find some favor.

The following scheme of exercises is offered as a suggestion only. It has the advantage of having been tested. For several years the writer has used this system, more or less completely, in his class work, though always with some changes from year to year. Any capable teacher will be able to add useful exercises, according to the materials which he may have on hand, and according to the abilities of his students. He will be likely also to cut out some of the suggested exercises for lack of time or material, or because they do not fit well with the general plans of his

courses.

With these remarks, the following outline of laboratory exercises in systematic pomology is submitted.

Exercises in Description

1. Describe some well-known apple. The specimens should be typical and mature

i.e., ripe. For the first exercise they should be of some standard variety well known to all the students. Unusual varieties and specimens which are off type should be left for later exercises. Each student should have at least five specimens if that is practicable. In many instances, with small classes particularly, it will be best to bring in the apples in a large basket or box, or to spread a quantity of them large laboratory table, allowing each student access to the entire pile. If the instructor thinks best, he can then assign one single fruit to each student for the final writing of the description; but in general it is recommended to make descriptions only from a number of specimens. This exercise may be repeated as often as the instructor thinks best, offering the student at each exercise some new variety. All these descriptions should be made with the greatest possible

care.

Each description should be minutely criticized, the choice of every adjective and adverb being specially scrutinized. The selection of happy descriptive terms is largely the result of experience and training, and in this the teacher has a large opportunity to help It is doubtless best to require that the