746 REPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



these things ( The discussion ln'ought out b}' this last question develops 

 important facts relative to soil preparation, after-cultivation, distribu- 

 tion of manure and fertilizers, and soil drainfigc. The usual questions: 

 Are they til)rous roots or fleshy roots? clustered roots or tap root? 

 etc., are considered of luit secondiirv value and, unless the time per- 

 mits, are eliminated. In studing leaves, emphasis is placed not on 

 form, l)ut on functions and conditions which favor or interfere with the 

 functions and value of these facts to the plant grower. 



The work of the second or middle academic year is based directly 

 on the principles taught during the junior year. The subjects studied 

 are soil water, farm drainage, after-cultivation, rotation of crops, 

 plant propagation, injurious insects and plant diseases, manures and 

 manuring. Practical work begins this year and by this time the 

 pupils generally take kindly to it. 



The subjects for the senior year are care and manage.nent of farm 

 stock; dairying including care and testing of milk, methods of cream- 

 ing, ripening, churning, etc.; elementary principles of stock Vn'eeding, 

 and stock feeding. The student is made familiar with the different 

 t3'pes and breeds by l)ringing the animals into the class room and taking 

 the class into the stables and poultry- houses. The latter method also 

 affords an opportunity for observing the construction of farm build- 

 ings and the general management of live stock (PI. LX, fig. 2). 



This required agriculture is given to ])oth girls and boys. No text- 

 books are used. In the junior year Bailey's Principles of Agriculture 

 is put into their hands as a reference book. In the middle and senior 

 years they are given outline leaflets and United States Farmers' Bul- 

 letins and referred to the general reference library. 



The post-graduate course of three years follows the same general 

 outline as the required course, but covers a wider field. It carries the 

 student into simple quantitative analysis in chemistry. Bailey's Botany 

 and Gray's Manual are used in plant study, with references to Bailey's 

 Lessons with Plants and Coulter's Plant Relations. The Soil, b}' King; 

 Fertility of the Land, by Roberts; Voorhees's Fertilizers; Milk and 

 Its Products, by Wing; Feeds and Feeding, b}' Henry; Curtis's Horses, 

 Cattle, Sheep, and Swine; The Principles of Fruit Growing, The 

 Pruning Book, and The Nurserv Book, bv Bailev; Farmers' Bulletins, 

 and bulletins from the State experiment stations are used as text and 

 special reference books. The general reference librar\^ is close at hand 

 and is constant!}' used. 



The members of this class spend two or three hours each da}" in 

 class and laboratory work in the field, stable, dairy, or poultry house, 

 or act as assistants in the laboratory work of the lower classes. 



The work of all the classes is largely done through field excursions 

 for observation, actual held work, and laboratory work. Few text- 

 books ai'e used and in some of the classes none. No attempt is made 



