An Effort to Help the Farmer. 263 



received by those best capable to judge of its defects and merits 

 is a constant surprise to us. 



One of the most gratif5ang of these encomiums is contained in 

 the last official report of the Honorable James Wilson, Secretary- 

 of Agriculture. He not only outlines the Cornell work specifi- 

 cally, but also makes the following very significant remarks on 

 nature-stud}' in the common schools : 



" There is growing interest in education that relates to pro- 

 duction. All classes of intelligent people favor it. Congress 

 endowed colleges to teach it, and progress is being made, but not 

 so rapidly as the growth of our country demands. More jcnowl- 

 edge concerning what the farmer deals with ever\' day would 

 enable him to control conditions, produce more from an acre, 

 and contribute more to the general welfare. The education of 

 our people in common school, high school, and college has not 

 been designed to prepare them for producing from the soil, 

 excepting the ver\" few who have found their way into our agri- 

 cultural colleges. It is evident to educators in agricultural 

 science that elementary study should be introduced into the com- 

 mon schools to give direction early in life. 



"Agriculture, horticulture, forestry, gardening, and landscap- 

 ing are delightful studies that attract people in all walks of life, 

 but there is enough to be learned regarding each of these to 

 require the devotion of a lifetime. The colleges and experiment 

 stations endowed by the Federal Government provide for train- 

 ing along this line for longer or shorter periods at the institu- 

 tions of the several States and Territories designed for this 

 purpose : but while encouraging progress has been made in 

 building up courses m these institutions that teach the sciences 

 relating to production, instruction before going to college and 

 after graduation is lacking. Nothing is being done in most of 

 the common schools of the States to cultivate a taste for and lead 

 the mind to inquire into and store up facts regarding nature, so 

 that the young farmer may be directed into the path that leads 

 to education concerning his future life work." 



The following letter is from A. E. Winship, Boston, editor of 



