222 



itself and tlierebv is unlike mucli otlier effort of tlie schoolroom. 

 The iiual result should he the development of a keen personal 

 interest in every natural ohject and phenomenon. 



So far as possible, nature-study should be spontaneous. To make 

 it a formal part of school work, leading to perfunctory examina- 

 tions, is to take the life out of it. We do noi expect that the Leaf- 

 lets will be nsed as texts. They are merely snggestions to teachers, 

 designed to indicate the kinds of subjects that may be taken up 

 with proiit, to give subject-matter, and to point a way in which the 

 subject may be taught. 



The Purpose of Our AYork. 



To improve agriculture is the purpose of onr nature-study work. 

 We believe that the most fundamental thinsc we can do is to qiyq a 

 new enthusiasm and a new point of view to the coming farmer. 

 J^Ior do we hold that the comino; farmer alone should be reached in 

 order that farming be improved ; we want to do something to 

 elevate the tone of country livino;, and this can be done only when 



»■■■ <_ - t.' 



a general public sentiment is awakened. No longer is the farmer a 

 man by himself ; he is a man among men. 



Our work is maintained by a State appropriation, given for the 

 extendino' of ao;rieultural knowledoje. There are several lines of 

 work conducted under the auspices of this State law, of which the 

 nature-study movement is one. A coordinate movement is the 

 Farmers' Iteading-Course, in which nearly 30,000 New York farmers 

 are now enrolled. A Keading-Course for Farmers' Wives is lately 

 established, and about 0,000 women are enrolled in it. The litera- 

 ture wliich all these people read is , prepared and furnished by the 

 Colletce of Ao^riculture. The Farmers' Readino^-Course extends 

 through three years, six Lessons being taken up each year. The 

 eighteen Lessons comprise series on 



The soil. 



Animal husbandry, 



Orcharding. 



The Lessons are elementary statements of principles, with applica- 

 tions to the familiar work of the farmer. It is now proposed to intro- 



322 



