348 liEruKT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



Y. — Farm sflionios — roiitinuo«l. 



(.'{) Lay-tint of faniis. as 1o arraiiK<'inoiit of fields, lanes, water supplies, 

 aiul bniklings. 

 Z. — Farm i)ractiee. 



(1) Tillage. 



(«) rnri»ose and efTeets. 

 (h) Methods. 



(2) Drainase. 



(c) rnr])ose and (>ffeetR. 



(d) Methods. 



(3) Irrigation. 



(e) Purpose and effeets. 

 if) Methods. 



In Minnesota an act passed by the legislature in 1905 provides for 

 local option in the establishment and maintenance of county schools 

 of agriculture and domestic economy, limiting to $20,000 the amount 

 any county may appropriate for this jDurpose in one year. The 

 initiative in establishing such schools may be taken by the people or 

 the county school commissioners, but the latter can not actually estab- 

 lish the school until the electors have passed on the question. Two or 

 more counties may unite for this puri:)0se. The schools are to be 

 under the control of a county school board of three members, the 

 secretary of which shall be the county superintendent of schools, and 

 the other tAvo members are to be elected b}^ the county commissioners. 

 Each school must have connected with it a tract of land suitable for 

 experiments and demonstrations of not less than 10 acres. Tuition 

 is to be free to residents of the county or counties contributing to its 

 support. The State superintendent of public instruction is to have 

 general supervision over the schools, and, with the advice of the dean 

 of the college of agriculture of the State University, is to prescribe 

 the courses of study. 



In Kansas a law of several years' standing provides local option in 

 the establishment of county high schools. As a result several sparsely 

 settled counties, or counties in which there are few large towns, are 

 supporting such schools. Among these is Norton County, which 

 maintains a good high school in the village of Norton, a town of about 

 1,500 inhal)itants located near the geographical center of the county. 



The high school building is of brick, two stories high, over a well- 

 lighted basement, and is located on the outskirts of the village, where 

 land can be easily secured. The basement contains furnace and fuel 

 rooms, lavatories, and a gymnasium. On the first floor is a physics 

 and chemistrj^ room, a natural history room, a music and art room, 

 and the rooms of the business department. The second floor con- 

 tains an assembly and study room and two recitation rooms. The 

 apparatus and other equipment for the work in physics, chemistry, 

 and natural history are exceptionally good for a small high school. 



