Cornell University, January 2, 1899. 

 Honorable Commissioner of Agriculture, Albany. 



Sir : In the effort to extend the teaching of nature and to 

 popularize farming subjects, we have found the nature-study 

 leaflets to be invaluable. These leaflets are now so well estab- 

 lished in the estimation of New York teachers that we are obliged 

 to print them in editions of 25,000. These afford subject-matter 

 for direct teaching. But the surroundings of the child should also 

 be such as to interest him in rural subjects. The home and the 

 school premises should supplement the explicit work of the teacher. 

 We have endeavored to provide suggestions for the improve- 

 ment of home surroundixigs in a number of bulletins ; and we 

 hope that more will follow. For many years, Professor Bailey 

 has been studying the problem of the improvement of rural 

 school grounds, but it is only now that he has felt that the time 

 is ripe for a distinct movement in this direction. This bul- 

 letin is the first move. It strikes at one of the greatest evils 

 connected with the education of the farmer's children. We hope 

 to follow up the movement, and eventually to give suggestions 

 for the interior of the schoolhouse. 



These recommendations are the result of long stud}^ of trees 

 and shrubs as adapted to New York State, and of the principles 

 of landscape gardening. The report is submitted for publication 

 as a bulletin under Chapter 67 of the Laws of 1898. 



I. P. Roberts, Director. 



