REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. Cl 



much more closely into sympathy" and actual contact with the practice 

 of the art. Each 3'ear the chasm which formerly existed between 

 science and practice is being more strongly liridged. Stronger bonds 

 of S3'mpathy and effort are uniting scientists and farmers through 

 the medium of the agricultural institutions. The colleges therefore 

 not onlv occupy a better position in the educational world, but they 

 are also more strongly intrenched in the confidence and support of the 

 great masses of practical men. 



Secondary and Elementary Schools of Agriculture, 



Institutions for secondarj" and elementar}' instruction in agriculture 

 are becoming more numerous. Schools of this class already established 

 have been continued, new schools are being established, and courses of 

 instruction in agriculture, nature study, and gardening are being intro- 

 duced into existing public and private schools. The marked success 

 of the agricultural high schools established in connection with the uni- 

 versifies of Minnesota and Nebraska indicates that there is a demand 

 for agricultural courses of parallel degree with those offered in various 

 manual arts in our cit}^ high schools. Already there is a promising 

 movement for the establishment of special agricultural high schools in 

 different localities separate from the colleges, and some instruction in 

 agriculture is now given in a number of normal and public high schools. 

 Students taking such high-school courses would undoubtedly be a})le 

 to better appreciate the work of this Department and the agricultural 

 experiment stations and would have a better outlook regarding the 

 movements of our times for the improvement of agriculture, which 

 would enable them to become intelligent, progressive, and successful 

 farmers. All over our countr}^ farmers are sending their children to 

 public high schools and paj'ing tuition for their instruction. They 

 have, therefore, good reason to urge that courses on subjects related 

 to agriculture should be introduced into these schools, especially in 

 towns which are wholly or largely dependent on the neighboring farms 

 for their commercial success, if not their very existence. 



Since the funds expended in promoting technical education in agri- 

 culture are in the nature of investments which will be richly repaid in 

 larger amounts of assessable farm property and the increased wealth 

 that comes from improved farm products, both the States and the 

 local communities can well afford to make liberal contributions to the 

 support of courses in agriculture in the secondary schools as well as in 

 the agricultural colleges. 



Progress is also being made in the movement for the consolidation 

 of rural schools which has already resulted in improved conditions in 

 the schools of Ohio, Massachusetts, Iowa, and other States. Such 

 consolidation makes it possible to introduce nature study in which 

 matters pertaining to agriculture, horticulture, and domestic arts are 



