AN ORCHARD FOR BEAUTY AND PROFIT. WE 66 E spend money for flowering shrubs; the beautiful double-flowering almonds, the weigelas and deutzias, which delight us with their spring and summer bloom, and we rejoice over them without objecting to their fleeting show." Now, all these are enjoyed solely for their beauty. An orchard is no less beautiful than these. A massive apple tree, a globe of snow just faintly tinged with the most delicate pink; a dwarf pear, a pyramid of flowers; a standard, a fountain of spray; the cherries and plums; and the peaches with their soft violet shade-all these are unsurpassed by any of the popular flowering shrubs. Then, after the blooming season is over and our sense of sight has been gratified, the fruit comes in, sometimes no less beautiful with its varied brilliancy of color, but more useful than the majority of farmers are ready to believe. farmer plant and care generally for at least ten acres of apple trees? If he did, and fed the fruit, his stock would mostly escape the diseases now so destructive; and it would pay into his pocket every dollar above estimated. Therefore, plant trees! Orchard and Garden. THE PENNSYLVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION. BY W. N. LOCKINGTON. THE How many farmers ever think how easy it is to grow apples and pears, and how exceedingly valuable the fruit can be made for feeding to their animals, if for no other purpose! When some of the pear trees littered the ground with their ripe mellow fruit, I fed them to my cows. A peck of pears with two quarts of meal and bran for a noonday feed, increased the milk and butter one-fourth; and when the apples were ripe, and only fifty cents a bushel could be got for them in the market, the horses, cows, pigs and fowls had all they wanted, and the ripe fruit did them a great deal of good. Some farmers give the windfalls-wormy, hard, gnarled fruit-to their animals, and complain that they are unwholesome. And why not? Are they wholesome for themselves? Do they not suffer the pains and penalties of eating hard, unripe apples? Why should they expect their stock to escape similar consequences? Give only ripe, sound fruit to the animals; they will be greatly benefited by it. An orchard is a permanent crop, yielding more than its acreage of roots, and at scarcely any cost, during a man's whole life; three hundred bushels of fruit, one year with another, to the acre being by no means an extravagant estimate. At twenty-five cents a bushel, a moderate estimate too, here is seventy-five dollars per acre for, let us say, thirty years, with no money outlay, and scarcely any labor beyond gathering the crop. Two thousand two hundred and fifty dollars from each acre of orchard is the total profit. Then why should not every HE need of some concerted action for the protection of our forest trees has been long felt by those who have not al lowed their own individual work and interests to so completely fill their lives as to render them insensible to the interests of the community. The white man found almost the entire area of that part of the North American continent east of the Mississippi, and a large tract to the west of it, covered with a continuous forest of broad-leafed trees-a wondrous forest-full of magnolias and liriodendrons; of conspicuous flowered leguminous trees such as the Robinia and the Judas-tree, of beautiful Ericaceae and Rosacea, of the flowering dogwood and the catalpa; and rich in numerous species of oaks, elms, birches, beeches, willows, poplars, alders, ashes, and many others. But the forest will not grow corn, and the American axe was invented. It is a very efficient implement, and does its work well. To fell trees was the ambition of every settler; he walked around with an axe on his shoulder, and his favorite pastime was tree-slaughter. This is still the case in many districts, yet little by little the love of tree-destruction has, at least in and near the centres of civilization, given place to a vague fear lest our forests might fail us, a feeling that trees need some kind of care, since they cannot be grown in a year or two. The cyclones, droughts, and freshets to which the arid regions of the Far West are subject, began to teach the lesson that trees were necessary to protect a region against an irregular distribution of rainfall; the floods upon the line of the Ohio preached sermons against the destruction of the forests about the head-waters of the Monongahela and the Allegheny; botanists took up the subject and wrote upon it, enforcing their arguments with circumstantial accounts of the effects of tree-slaughter and tree-culture in Europe; until at last the ear of the people has been reached, and even in coun try districts a sentiment of respect for trees is growing. The United States is one of the last of civilized countries to commence to care for its trees. In Europe the era of tree-slaughter has passed. Southern Europe has suffered greatly from its effects; England and France | have been scathed; Northern Europe has been threatened with the loss of one of its greatest sources of revenue; and now treeplanting, and the conservation of the existing woods, are in various ways enforced by laws and by public opinion. But the times are ripe in this country, and the movement has commenced. Even Pennsylvania, slow to move though it be, has now its Forestry Association, the object of which is to disseminate among the people information respecting the effects of forest-destruction in the change of climate, unequal distribution of rainfall and water-supply, and injury to important interests; to promote such legislation as shall prevent the occurrence of those disastrous conflagrations that now do even more damage than the wanton use of the axe; to foster tree-planting, and to encourage tree-conservation. In this good work every one can help, though in varying degree. Every youth who, when in the woods, forbears to break or cut down a promising young tree, every man or woman who plants a tree where it will have a chance to grow, is assisting in forest preservation. Whatever legislation may ultimately be formulated, the conservation of our woods will ever depend principally upon the amount of public opinion which supports legislation. When the owners of trees, and all those whose livelihood is directly or indirectly affected by the deforestation of our State, shall have learned to take the same care of trees that they take of domestic animals, to cut down only such as are required for use, and to either plant or protect from injury promising young trees to supply the place of those cut down-then Our forests will be safe. To effect this, as to effect other great reforms, much teaching must be done; and, while no effort should be spared to reach the minds of adults, the education of the young in this respect is of even greater importance. It needs no separate text-book, no addition of a new 'ology to the school course, to compass this object. More or less of physical geography is taught in our schools, and the usual information concerning the distribution of trees can easily be enforced by a few practical lessons upon the influence of trees upon man. In this, as in every State, there ought also to be a school of forestry, in which all things relating to the conservation of existing forests, to tree-planting, arboriculture, methods of exploitation, and laws bearing upon the subject, shall be taught to those who expect to have, whether in a public or private capacity, the management of forested land. A The American. PRINCIPLES AND METHODS. The NOTHER thing, also, which the teacher should always regard is the amount of intellectual patience which it is reasonable to expect in his pupils. The attention of young children to one thing can be secured for only a short time, and there should be a very careful gradation in this regard, from the primary school to the college. In the primary school the exercises should be very short; and even in our grammar and high schools there is great danger of trying to hold the attention too long to one subject. A fixed, earnest attention, even for a short time, is productive of better mental habits. than a languid attention—if it may be called attention-for a much longer period. chronic indifference of pupils, of which teachers complain so much, I have no doubt is due quite as much to the length of the exercises as to lack of interest in the subjects. I recollect reading several plays of Shakespeare, with a freshman class in college, and feeling all the time that the students were impatient of delay when I ventured any critical remarks or explanation of the text; but the same class, when as seniors we read the same plays, so beset me with questions that we were able to read not more than one-fourth as much in the hour allotted to the lessons as formerly. This, I regarded as evidence that, whatever criticism might be made on our college curriculum, the students had acquired something of that "intellectual patience" to which Newton ascribed his chief success. Still another important principle, closely related to that of which I have been speaking, is that children can only be educated by their own mental activity under the guidance of the teachers. Montaigne complained of the teaching of his time, that it gave only the thought of others, without requiring the pupil to think for himself. He says "he has no taste for this relative, mendicant, and precarious understanding.' precarious understanding." "Like birds," he says, "who fly abroad to forage for grain, bring it home in their beak without tasting 150 PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOL JOURNAL. it themselves, to feed their young, so our pedants go picking knowledge here and there, out of different authors, and hold it at their tongues' end only to spit it out and distribute it amongst their pupils." The dancing-master might as well teach us to move gracefully through the mazes of the dance, without requiring us to leave our seats, as the teacher to inform our understandings without setting them to work. "Yet 'tis the custom of schoolmasters,' says the same author, "to be eternally thundering in their pupils' ears, as if they were pouring into a funnel, whilst the pupils' business is only to repeat what others have said before." This, however, was the complaint against the teaching of the sixteenth century. Is it possible that the same complaint might be made against the teaching in the nineteenth century! Judge ye. American Teacher. USE OF PICTURES IN SCHOOL ROOMS. N' EXT to the objects themselves, pictures are most valuable in exciting ideas and thoughts, and are therefore useful as a means of language study. They may be used as objects are used when a description of what is seen is called for, or they may be used as a basis for imaginary stories. In describing the parts of a picture, young children will need special assistance and direction from the teacher. Place a large, interesting picture not too complex at first-before the class or school, and question somewhat as follows: "How many boys are there in the picture?" "What are they doing?" "What animal is following on behind?" "What kind of a dog is it?" "What is one of the cows doing?" The answers should be in entire sentences, and should be afterwards written out connectedly under the direction of the teacher. After some practice of this kind, the pupils may be able, without much assistance from the teacher, to state in full all they can see in a given picture. Care should be taken that the description does not consist of short statements, poorly arranged or connected together by many "and's." The final description of the picture suggested above might be as follows: "I see two boys driving some cows. One of the cows is eating grass by the side of the road, and one is going into a field. A large shepherd dog is running behind the boys. [OCT., tures in teaching language is to suggest imaginary stories to be told by the pupils. The pictures used for young children should be simple and somewhat striking. By presenting a good plan or by asking questions, lead the pupils gradually into good habits of thought and construction. With the picture above indicated, the questions might be somewhat as follows: What shall we call the boys? Where do they live? Do both live on the farm? Which one is the visitor from the city? What relation are they to each other? Who came with Charlie to the country? What are they doing? What else do they do on the farm? etc. questioning, the story may be told orally by one or more of the pupils, and afterwards written out in full. Older pupils may be able to write the story out in full after a given plan, without preliminary questioning or without first telling it orally. The correction and revision of the papers may be made during the time of a regular recitation, or may be given out as a language lesson. Encourage, as far as possible, independence and originality of expression. After STEADY FOR A HUNDRED YEARS. S we are turning our faces now towards the year 1787, in commemoration of a great event in the history of our own country, we instinctively go further to glance at the political condition of Europe in that same year. It is curious to consider that the century of our Constitution that we are now commemorating carries us back at its beginning over all the numerous revolutions in France to the Bourbon Louis XVI.; back to the great Empress Catharine of Russia; back to the personal and despotic rule of Frederick the Great in Prussia, and over the numerous vicissitudes through which the German Empire has passed; back to the earlier days of George III., when "the people" had no voice in choosing the House of Commons; back to Stanislaus of Poland, and back to the days when an Irish Parliament sat in College Green. Then absolutism prevailed in all the great countries excepting Great Britian, but even there, while the Government was "constitutional," it was the constitutionalism that was administered by the "pocket borough parliament" of that day, the seats in which were held by the landed aristocracy-a constitutional Government that was the farthest remove from the parliamentary government of our 66 the millions of enfranchised voters of the British and Celtic Islands. Now every great power of Europe except Russia and Turkey (which latter is Asiatic rather than European) is limited by constitutional covenants. Instead of the petty kingdoms of Sardinia, Piedmont, the Sicilies and the States of the Church, we have the Parliamentary Kingdom of Italy. The absolutism of Louis XVI, who was then the reigning monarch in France, has been followed by the Directory, the Consulate, the Consulate for life, the Empire of the Great Napoleon, the restoration of the "legitimate" Bourbon, the reign of Citizen of French, the Restoration of the short-lived Repub: lic," the Second Empire, and now the third Republic, which has already had a longer lease of life than any of its predecessors. The Prussia of that day was the Prussia of the despotic Frederick the Great, who had died but the year before, bequeathing his sword to Washington-the Prussia which, within a quarter of a century, passed through the deep humiliation of Jena, and has now again risen to be the great military power of Europe, heading the reconstituted German Empire of Kaiser Wilhelm, Bismarck and Moltke. The house of "Braganza has ceased to reign," and so, indeed, has the elder branch of the Bourbons. land was then still upon the political map of Europe, and her king, Stanislaus II., still occupied a place in the list of European sovereigns, but, while Poland was still there, there was no Belgium, that industrious, thriving and intelligent kingdom in the "low countries" being a creation of more modern times; and, as already mentioned, what is now the powerful Italian kingdom was a scattered group of small kingdoms, dukedoms, and petty principalities. Po Amidst all these separations, congregations, aggregations, reconstructions, as conspicuously exemplified in the dissolution of the Austro-German Empire and the construction of the Prusso-German Empire of our day, the great characteristic is the change in the fundamental basis of government-of "forms" of government and the advance towards government by constitutional compact, guaranteeing political rights to the masses of the people. These changes, numerous and multiform, though all tending in the one direction of guarantees to popular rights, are the broad marks in the political history of Europe since the proclamation of the American Constitution of 1787. And the great fact connected with that frame of government is that amidst these momentous [OTHING adds more to the beauty of a homestead than a few trees arranged in an artistic manner. Native forest trees are indeed graceful, but it is not often that they' grow at the most convenient places. Art must aid nature in making our homes pleasant. Nothing seems more dreary than a home without any trees in the yard. There is nothing to protect the house from the direct rays of a July sun. With but little expense the homestead can be made both pleasant and attractive. Plant a tree and watch it grow, and each year your home will become more attractive. Trees along the streets add much to the beauty of a country village. Nature is beautiful, but under the control of man she will become more beautiful or more repulsive. Nothing is more desolate than a ruined homestead. Nature has gone to ruin. Man instead of adding to her beauty has only deprived her of her strength. By a little care even a wilderness may become attractive. Frequently the district school-house is located at the most dreary spot in the neighborhood. The land is not fit for farming, so they build a school-house. All are influenced to a greater or less extent by their surroundings. The beautiful in nature appeals to the beautiful in character. The school should be the most attractive place in the community. Let trees be planted in the yards and the grounds be decorated in the manner most pleasing to the community. Plant trees around the school-house, and the boys will take care of them. Encourage the boys to do the planting. Have appropri ate exercises, and "Arbor Day" will be cherished for years. All are interested in taking care of their own work. If the boys plant the trees they will protect them. We like the idea of permitting the children to plant. forest trees and take care of them as their own property. Every boy is made better by cultivating a tree. We would like to see our tree-planting day observed in all parts of the State. He who plants a tree is doing something for future generations. How many desolate, gloomy places might be made attractive by a little time and expense on the part of the people! There is not a village but might be made more pleasant and attractive. Let us study nature more carefully, and we will find many things to admire. VISITING SCHOOLS. HOW CAN A SUPERINTENDENT MAKE HIS VISIT TO A SCHOOL MOST EFFECTIVE? TH THE HE work of a Superintendent must vary somewhat according to the character of the community and the condition of the schools, but there are some general principles which are equally applicable to all situations. He should be in full sympathy with his teachers, that they may regard his visits as those of a generous friend, desirous of giving them any aid in his power, and not the mere round of an official to inspect and criticize. It is assumed that the Superintendent should visit the schools under his care-that he should spend much of his time in the school-room with the teachers and pupils. Without this familiarity with their daily work, most of the meditations and devices of the office are likely to be of little worth. His thought may be clear and logical, but his aim, in many cases, will be wide of the mark. His entrance to a school-room should be quiet and familiar, causing hardly a ripple of excitement to pass over the room, or the mind of the teacher. Nor should he often interrupt the regular work, of whose character he wishes to learn; and in no way should he say or do anything to disconcert the teacher, lessen her authority, or disparage her scholarship or character in the estimation of her pupils, but rather should his presence be helpful, and an inspiration to teacher and pupil alike. He will often see and hear methods which he does not approve; but is he to censure and condemn, bringing an uncomfortable feeling over all parties, with little probability of any improvement? No earnest work is all bad, and among much that is faulty, some good will crop out. This he can commend, and suggest how it might profitably be carried still farther. With the direct or implied consent of the teacher, never to be forgotten, he may ask some question sug gestive of a better method-something to awaken their curiosity and quicken their intelligence. With her consent, too, he may ask if they have ever done their work in this way, or that, getting their opinion as to which they think the better. He may find a class in history, for instance, repeating the words of the book, and ask who, forgetting the text, can tell the story in his own way, as he would describe what he had seen to a companion. In geography he may ask a pupil to step to the board and sketch the boundaries of the state, for example, with one or two towns and rivers, and tell them that when he comes again he hopes to give them another trial. Most teachers are discerning enough to follow the lead thus given. He finds a room in infinite confusion, the floor lined with papers, the ceiling covered with spitballs, some pushing and shoving, much talking and no work. One of our experienced principals, some time since, wisely, I think, remarked to one of his assistants, that he "never should allow himself in the presence of disorder." What is the Superintendent to do? Let him, perhaps, with a pleasant, encouraging word to the pupils, walk down through the aisle and back, and with many a smiling look from little boy and girl, he will find the floor cleared before the completion of his round. They will appreciate the improved appearance, be ready to assure him that he will not find it so again, and the teacher, with some quiet suggestions and cheering commendations of what is good, will go on with her work stronger and happier. This work of visiting, to be truly valuable, must be supplemented, or preceded, by meetings of the teachers, at which directions and suggestions can be given, errors pointed out, methods indicated, and illustrations given. but The Superintendent should never discour age any method without suggesting something better to take its place. This faultfinding, this pulling down, is so easy, leaves such a void, such dissatisfaction, and often helpless despair, as its only results. The visit of the Superintendent should always be an encouragement and an enjoyment, and looked forward to with pleasure and hopeful anticipation. Illinois School Journal. INSTRUCTION should give pleasure to children, and where this is not the case, there is something wrong as regards either the mode of instruction or the subject matter selected for instruction.- Tate. |