84 



New methods will be required in the presentation of the subjects to be con- 

 sidered each succeeding year. Some of the subjects are old. They have always 

 belonged to agriculture — tbev are a part of it. For example, the soil and its 

 products; what the soil is and how it produces its ;innnal harvests were (lues- 

 tions but little studied and l»ut partially understood prior to the work of the 

 chemist. True, there were some, here and there one, who thought upon these 

 matters. So Tull. of Berkshire, England, 17()1-17;^.1. thought on the question, 

 " How plants grow." By what process are they built up and what and from 

 whence came the materials? 



His conclusion was that, in some way, they took up the finer particles of soil 

 and incorjxirated them into their body, fiber, and fruit. From this erroneous 

 hypothesis ho deduced the pro])osition that, the finer the soil was pidverized, 

 the more rapidly and i)erfectly would bis crojts develop. His theory of fining 

 the soil did, no doubt, show some favorable i-esults in his case, but not in the 

 way he supposed. What he guessed at is now made plain, and it should be the 

 business of the institute managers to introduce the study of the old subjects 

 and so present them that the farmers shall be encouraged to think upon them 

 from a correct foundation, in order that greater intelligence may obtain in field 

 practice and larger profits be secured. 



So, too, concerning all the staple crops in their different requirements in the 

 matter of plant food, methods of cultivation, etc. Domestic or farm stock has 

 been with us from the beginning. Itut its almost marvelous develoimient in 

 beauty, size, and i)roductiveness is compar;iti\'elj' recent. These questions, 

 with many others, nuist claim the attention of the agriculturist so long as men 

 live by the products of the ground. And the institute worker must present them 

 in some form each year. Tb.e problem for the conductor is how and under what 

 subdivisions and form of topic should they be considered. Again, staple crops 

 in one locality may be introduced in a neighborhood where they have not pre- 

 viously been grown. They become new crops there, and the institute speaker 

 may treat them there exhaustively, beginning with the first principles. 



Agricultural educiition in the common school is an important (piestion. What 

 can the institute conductor do to help on this change? What method can be 

 adopted whereby he may enlist the approval, and, if i>ossible, the cooperation 

 of the makers of our teachers, the authorities in our State normal, model, and 

 other training schools, .at least to make a beginning, though small at first, in 

 directing the young minds to the wonders of nature all around them and the 

 beauty and value of such knowledge. 



Nature study is coming to the front. Wise methods will be reqiiired to so 

 direct it that practical and permanent benefits shall accrue to agriculture and 

 agricultural workers. 



Most all the work of our farmers is connected with nature study in some 

 form and most of our institute toi>ics have to do with such subjects. A part of 

 our work may be to get back to the starting point, anticii^ating and preceding 

 the agricultural college by having the first j)rinciples of agriculture taken up in 

 the home, the rural school, and the farmers' institute. 



Can we introduce the beginners' institute for farmers' boys and girls, with 

 speakers — common-sen.se teachers — to explain and illustrate the first things, 

 the foundation iirinciples, correctly, thus forming a helpful base for full develop- 

 ment? If so, what method will serve our pur]iose best? 



New problems and methods — they are not confined to the work of farmei's' 

 institutes. Problems new and old are everywhere; they are associated with all 

 human activities. Their solution requii'es new methods. The man who would 

 succeed in his undertakings must make his work his study. A general super- 



