290 REPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



Most of the topics under rural economics are too broad to be 

 included in a brief course in agriculture, or too complex for the com- 

 prehension of common school pupils. It is thought, however, that 

 some of the general principles of marketing and farm accounts might 

 be taught in this connection. Some of the topics which might be 

 considered are marketing — preparation for market, choice of market, 

 transportation, and method and cost of sale; and farm accounts — 

 feed and milk records, crop records, breeding records, inventories, 

 and bookkeeping. 



Attention should also be given to the benefits which may come 

 from cooperative effort in such matters as the construction and man- 

 agement of roads, irrigation and drainage systems, the prevention 

 and eradication of weeds, injurious insects, or diseases of plants and 

 animals. In fact, all the work of the rural schools should be con- 

 ducted with a view of impressing the children mth the great advan- 

 tage which may accrue to farming communities if a reasonable inde- 

 pendence of the individual can be combined wdth a harmonious 

 concert of thought and action for the common good. 



Regarding the division of time between the different branches of 

 agriculture no definite allotment can be made which will be suitable 

 for all conditions, but in schools devoting two years of three terms 

 each to agriculture, a fairly satisfactory division of time would be 

 two terms for plant production, two terms for animal production, 

 one term for dairying, and one term for rural engineering and rural 

 economics. In case agriculture is to be carried beyond the eighth 

 grade for one or two years, the same general outline can be followed 

 by giving more time to each branch of the subject and going more 

 fully into its details. Such an extension of time would be valuable 

 in that it would render feasible a much broader study of the literature 

 of agriculture. 



SUGGESTIONS FOR SIMPLE PRACTICUMS OR EXPERIMENTS. 



The effectiveness of agricultural instruction in the common schools 

 will depend largely upon the ability of the teacher to select and devise 

 suitable exercises for the illustration of the different principles 

 involved. The materials to be used in laboratory work may be 

 expensive or they may be had for a few dollars. Two dozen empty 

 tomato cans, three or four lard pails, a few baking-powder cans and 

 covers, a lot of empty bottles, a few small wooden boxes, a collection 

 of typical soils (clay, sand, loam, and muck or peat), and a few seeds 

 of garden and farm crops will enable the teacher and pupils to per- 

 form a variety of experiments, illustrating important principles upon 

 which the science and practice of agriculture are based, and will not 

 cost a cent. If to this material the school board or the pupils will 

 add by purchase at prices approximately as given, an 8-ounce glass 



