258 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



is illustrated by the fact that the aims, purposes, labors and discussions 

 of the great farmers' organizations like the Grange are social in 

 character, having to do with questions that are political, economic, 

 sociological. 



When, however, we turn to those public educational agencies that 

 are intended to assist in the solution of the farm problem, we discover 

 that they are giving slight attention to the social side of the question. 

 An examination of the catalogues of the agricultural colleges, whether 

 separate institutions or colleges of state universities, reveals the fact 

 that, beyond elementary work in economics, in civics, and occasionally 

 in sociology, little opportunity is given students to study the farm 

 question from its social standpoint. With a few exceptions, these insti- 

 tutions offer no courses whatever in rural social problems, and even in 

 these exceptional cases the work offered is hardly commensurate with 

 the importance of the subject. Nearly all our other colleges and 

 universities are subject to the same comment. The average student of 

 problems in economics and sociology and education gains no concep- 

 tion whatever of the importance and character of the rural phases 

 of our industrial and social life. 



It may be urged in explanation of this state of affairs that the 

 liberal study of the social sciences, and especially any large attention to 

 the practical problems of economics and sociology, in our colleges and 

 universities is a comparatively recent thing. This is true and is a 

 good excuse. But it does not offer a reason why the social phases of 

 agriculture should be longer neglected. The purpose of this article 

 is less to criticize than to describe a situation and to urge the timeliness 

 of the large development, in the near future, of rural social science. 



At the outset the queries may arise. What is meant by rural social 

 science? And, What is there to be investigated and taught under such 

 a head? The answer to the first query has already been intimated. 

 Rural social science is the application of the principles of the social 

 sciences, especially of economics and sociology, to the problems that 

 confront the American farmer. The reply to the second query is not 

 designed as an outline of all the courses that may be offered, but merely 

 as a concrete illustration of work that could be followed by investigators 

 and teachers, and by them indefinitely expanded. 



Taking first those subjects that have an economic bearing, we may 

 suggest agricultural geography: the relation of soil and climate to 

 agriculture, agricultural resources, the natural and actual distribution 

 of crop-growing, relation of science to agriculture, etc. — The farmer's 

 market: including, besides a general discussion of the subject, a con- 

 sideration of the special features of the local market, the domestic mar- 

 ket and the foreign market. Also, a brief discussion of special 

 influences affecting the farmer's market, such as the tariff, export 

 duties, bounties, dealings in 'futures,' crises, the development of manu- 



