596 EXPERIMENT STATION KECOED. 



ductiou of agriculture into the public schools. He believes that teachers of 

 agriculture must be well versed in the fundamental principles of both the 

 biological and physical sciences and their relation to the science and art of 

 agriculture. As taught in the high school, agriculture should deal primarily 

 with a study of laws and principles, rather than mere facts. Agricultural 

 subjects must be taught by the nature-study mode, but method is of secondary 

 importance. The teacher's training should begin in the grades, and laboratory 

 work, school gardening, and outdoor study constitute an essential part of such 

 training. 



Agriculture in the rural schools, E. C. Bishop (Bui. Fust Dist. Xormal 

 School, Mo., 11 {1911). Xo. 2, pp. l.'f-19). — The topics discussed in this paper 

 are (1) The cause of the exodus from country to city and from city to country, 

 (2) what agriculture includes, (3) means of arousing interest in the study of 

 agriculture, (4) what, how much, when, and where shall agriculture be taught 

 in the rural schools, (5) the consolidated school, and (6) special winter courses. 

 The author believes that the work in agriculture in the rural school should 

 begin with the study of those concrete topics which are of most importance to 

 the community, such as corn growing, rotation of crops, dairying, gardening, 

 canning and preserving, sewing, spraying, beautifying die home, etc., and that 

 these subjects should, as they are taken up. form a basis for language 

 work, arithmetic work, geography, orthography, reading, writing, drawing, and 

 economics. 



Agriculture in rural schools, II, W. H. French (Moderator-Topics, 32 

 (1912), Xo. 22, pp. .'io5-.'i57). — Besides blowing that the agricultural work in 

 the rural school should be adapted to local conditions, and furnishing a list of 

 essential simple apparatus, the author outlines 12 exercises dealing with seeds, 

 cuttings, potato experiments, soil types, soil moisture, and soil cultivation. 



A course of study for the preparation of mral school teachers, F. Mutch- 

 i.ER and W. J. Craig (17. S. Bur. Ed. Bui., 1912, Xo. 1, pp. 23).— After indicating 

 the cultural branches which should be studied by rural school teachers, the 

 uthors enumerate as necessary for their " proper training, nature study, ele- 

 mentary principles of practical agriculture, sanitary science and hygiene, 

 domestic economy, and practical principles and problems in elementary chem- 

 istry and physics as applied in the study of these subjects." These special 

 courses are discussed in detail, accompanied with detailed outlines of the 

 ground to be covered, and the manner in which the several courses should be 

 treated. 



The need of specimen or supply cabinets in public schools, H. L. Bolley 

 (Dakota Farmer, 32 (1912), Xo. .',, pp. 1S6, i87).— There is outlined in this 

 article the essential permanent and reasonably permanent equipment for the 

 proper teaching of agriculture in a rural school. 



A course in meteorology and physical geography, W. N. Allen ( U. 8. 

 Dept. Agr., Weather Bur. Bui. 39, pp. 35). — Most of this course treats of meteor- 

 ology, to which the other portions are cognate and introductory. The 20 exer- 

 cises included deal with such subjects as the globe, change of seasons, the atmos- 

 phere, wind direction and rainfall, seasonal change in temperature, daily change 

 in pressure, weather maps, and the ocean. Each exercise includes directions 

 for work, questions for a written review, and a list of reference books. 



Practical botany, J. Y. Bergen and O. AV. Caldwell (Boston, Xew York, 

 Chicago, and London [1911], pp. VII+545, figs. 388). — In this text those aspects 

 of plant life are presented which have the largest significance to the public in 

 general, and which are of most interest and educative value to students begin- 

 ning the subject. It includes the principles of plant nutrition and its relation 



