77 



(4) Tlio (lisfii)liiiiiry vjiluo (if any siihjoft is a i)rojior (|uostion for considora- 

 ti(»n in the coiistriictidn (if courses of study. Tlio lest IlKUi^lit of llio day — 

 and this view is conliniuMl l)y iiractico — seriously (lucstions if tlio mental train- 

 ins; ae(iuired in one subject can he transferred to another. 'I'iie host way to 

 learn to do a thiiifj is by doinj; that thin;;. Just as a mediocre carpenter can 

 liuild a nuicli better house than a first-class tailor, so each subject is incom- 

 parably the best trainer for its own work. One theory is as ^ood as another 

 until it is put to the test. In fact, the chief claim of some theories is that 

 they can never be applied suHiciently to disjirove them. The intluence of 

 heredity and of environment can be worked out only in the field, the nursery, 

 the yreeidiouse. Practice makes perfect, and applied science is practice. 



(o) The fact that the product of a piece of work can be jiut to some use does 

 not necessarily degrade that work. Ftility is not a synonym for luiworlhiness. 

 There is an element of s.icrilice in all training. No cow can produce tlie 

 niaxinuHU of both milk and beef. No corn can yield the hii^hest per cent of 

 liotli oil and protein matter. Darwin bemoaned the fact that while he studied 

 science he lost the power to ai»preciate poetry. But what Darwin sacrificed 

 the world ^'ained, for without those years of sin^le-jiurpose labor the nine- 

 teenth century would not have been enriched by that master work. Xho Origin 

 of Species. 



Finally, there is no anta.i,'onism between jmre and ajiplied science, for applied 

 science is simiily carryini,' jun-e science out to its legitimate fruita,i,'e. I'ure 

 science has enriched ai(])lied science with some valuable discoveries. No doubt 

 wIh'u a]ii»Iied science is better or^Muized :uid more ^'enerally pursued it will 

 return the favor. If the land-^rant colleges ai-e true to the ideals exi)ressed in 

 their charter laws, if they are true to the needs of their several inunediate 

 communities, if they are true to the s|)irit of industrial education, they will 

 hold and increase their present leadership in the scientific development of the 

 economic resources of this great country of ours. 



Courses in Agriculture. Horticulture, and Allikd Sub.iects. 



F. \A'. Rane. of New Hampshire. A couunittee was appointed two years ago 

 by the section of horticulture and botany of this association to outline courses 

 in horticulture, and I happened to be made chairman. The other members of 

 the committee were F. A. Waugh. of Massachusetts ; J. Craig, of New York ; 

 R. S. Mackint(jsb. of Alabama, and F. I'. Hedrick, of New York. The officers 

 of the .section on college work and adnnnistration have asked me to carr.\- out 

 that Idea, also adding some other features. In the first place, we are all 

 aware of the excellent work that has been done by the standing committee of 

 the association on methods of teaching agriculture. Tlieir reports have been 

 l)rinted,« and I have taken the course they recommend as a basis of the agri- 

 cultural work. In the agricultural course recommended by that committee 

 there are 180 hours that are designated for horticulture and forestry. Our 

 committee, after looking over fhis course of ISO hours, has subdivided the sub- 

 ject of horticulture as follows : 



HORTICULTURE — 180 HOURS. 



Hours. 



Propagation 20 



Pomology (fruit growing) 50 



Olericulture (vegetable gardening) 50 



Floriculture (flowers and decorative plants) 30 



Landscape horticulture 30 



Total 180 



The committee concluded that it was best to give a course in propagation, 

 which really applies to all the various subdivisions that are given — pomology, 



a U. S. Dept. Agr., Office of Experiment Stations Circ. 55. 



