PROGRESS IN AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. 321 



in detail and reasons given why the one that approached more nearly 

 the dairy standard was probably the bettor animal. 



One of the features of the course was a model school garden 

 planteil on the school yard at Cai)e May, to show the students how to 

 arrange a garden on their own school yards. This garden was 

 planted to varieties of vegetables grown in New Jersey and the in- 

 struction given regardiug such work was made to fit conditions 

 found in New Jersey schools. 



THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. 



There are now 14 States that require the teaching of agriculture 

 in the elementary schools, Arkansas having passed a law to this effect 

 in 1909. While the number of States making such requirements is 

 increasing from year to year, and the number of individual teachers 

 making a success of such work is also growing, the main effort now 

 seems to be to reach first the high schools and the normal schools and 

 thus prepare teachers and subject-matter for successful work in the 

 elementary schools. As noted elsewhere in this review, the agricul- 

 tural colleges and the state and county normal schools are actively 

 engaged in developing facilities for the training of teachers, and 

 both the colleges and the state departments of education are aiding 

 the movement by preparing and publishing leaflets and other litera- 

 ture for use in the elementary schools. 



On tlie other hand, less formal instruction in agriculture than was 

 at first atteuipted in the elementary schools, such as boys' and girls' 

 agricultural club work, judging contests, domestic science contests, 

 excursions, and boys' encampments, is rapidly extending to all i^arts 

 of the country. A description of such w^ork, by Mr. F. W. Howe, 

 of this Office, is given below. 



School-garden work in cities and towns has continued with en- 

 couraging results. The most recent available report of the Massa- 

 chusetts Horticultural Society (1907) showed 49 entries for children's 

 garden prizes offered by that society. 



In Porto Rico an act of the legislative assembly approved March 

 11, 1909, appropriated $3,000 "to assist the Agricultural Institute 

 of Arts and Trades at Lajas in its work of aff'ording an education 

 to students of agriculture and other subjects studied in the .same," 

 provided the department of education organizes and supervises in- 

 struction in the subjects included in the common-school course. 

 This instruction is to be free to students regularly enrolled in the 

 institiite and also to other children residing in the vicinity who may 

 be legally enrolled in the public schools of Porto Rico. Of the ap- 

 proi)riation. $2,000 is to be expended for improvements in the shops 

 and for agricnltural implements and $1,000 for the maintenance of 

 poor children dwelling in the buildings of the institute. 

 46045°— 10 21 



