AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. 693 



receipts and stocks of eggs and poultiy in the United States, monthly movement 

 of grain from the farms, temperature and precipitation statistics, and other 

 data. 



Foreign crops, July, 1911, C. M. Daughekty {TJ. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Statis. 

 Circ. 21, pp. 15). — This circular repoi'ts the acreage and condition of the prin- 

 cipal crops In foreign countries in July, 1911, the prospective yields compared 

 Avith actual yields last year, and the imports and exports of wheat and wheat 

 flour in several foreign countries. 



Tobacco report, July 1, 1911, J. P. Killebrew {XJ. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. 

 statis. Circ. 22, pp. 8). — This circular reports the acreage and condition of to- 

 bacco in the United States July 1, 1911, by States and districts, with compari- 

 sons with previous years. The area of cigar-leaf tobacco is shown to be 154,200 

 acres against 146,200 acres last year, an increase of 5.6 per cent, while in the 

 chewing, smoking, snuff, and export districts the area is 730,600 acres compared 

 with 1,070,100 acres last year, a decrease of 31.7 per cent. 



AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. 



A study of 15 consolidated rural schools; their organization, cost, eflS.- 

 ciency, and affiliated interests, G. W. Knorr (Washington, 1911, pp. 55, figs. 

 J8). — This is a report covering a study tour by southern state superintendents 

 of schools in communities having successful consolidated rural schools, with a 

 view to learning at first hand the financial, agricultural, and social conditions 

 imder which consolidation of schools was effected in the respective localities, 

 the degree of development of this new form of rural schools, how far the schools 

 meet the needs of the rural communities which they serve, and to what extent 

 the schools, once permanently established, enter the rural community life, be- 

 come part of it, and prepare its youth vocationally for life's work. The 15 

 schools included in the itinerary are located in Montgomery and Tippecanoe 

 counties, Indiana, Trumbull county, Ohio, and one in Maryland. The total 

 enrollment was 2,381 pupils, of which 501 were in the high school, representing 

 a total rural population of approximately 14.300. 



It is reported that these communities have demonstrated to their own satis- 

 faction that consolidated schools more fully meet their neetls than the small 

 district schools which were displaced. The schools have now so completely 

 become a part of the respective communities " that none would for an instant 

 entertain the proposition to abandon them and return to the small detached 

 schools of former days." 



The statistical data included in the publication afford information as to 



(1) the location of buildings, their cost, and average distance from homes; 



(2) the annual total expenditures for the maintenance of the schools, for the 

 conveyance of pupils, and the cost of schooling per pupil per day; (3) the 

 number and kind of teachers, and the number of district schools merged; (4) 

 the organization of the school wagon service, the size of districts maintaining 

 such service, and the enrollment and average attendance of pupils. 



A review of the observations made by the visiting superintendents brought 

 out the theory " that consolidation seldom proceeds successfully without the 

 approval and general support of the community concerned." 



The teaching of agriculture in the secondary schools, L. Anderson (Univ. 

 Cal. Chron., IS {1911), No. 2, pp. 16.'i-n6). — In this address the question as 

 to what is agriculture is discussed, and reasons are given for teaching it. 

 Among these are (1) that the youth may be brought to appreciate the value 

 of small things, (2) for the contentment which it brings, and (3) its usefulness. 



