194 EXPEKIMENT STATION EECOED. 



The agricultural instruction act (Agr. Gaz. Canada, 1 [1914), No. 1, pp. 31- 

 38).— The text of the act. approved June 6, 1913, appropriating $1,000,000 for 

 the advancement of agricultural instruction In the provinces of Canada (E. S. 

 It., 29, p. 198) is given, together with the form of agreement of provincial gov- 

 ernments under the act, and an itemized statement of federal appropriations 

 to provinces in 1913-14. 



[Progress in agricultural education in Canada in 1913] (Agr. Gaz. Canada, 

 1 (1914), No. 2, pp. 69-139, figs. 18). — This number is devoted largely to progress 

 in agricultural education in Canada, including the following articles: The 

 Ontario new field husbandry building, work of the department of agriculture 

 in Prince Edward Island, progress of agricultural education in Nova Scotia, 

 figricultural education in New Brunswick, agriculture in the Province of 

 Quebec, acre profit competition in Ontario, agricultural instruction in Mani- 

 toba, agricultural extension work in Alberta, boys' potato growing contests in 

 CarletoD and Russell Counties in 1913, and the rural school problem and its 

 relation to agricultural teaching. 



Agricultural organization in Belgium (Notice siir VEconomie Rnralc ei 

 rOrganisation Administrative de VAgriculture. Brussels: Min. Agr., 191S, 

 pp. 86, pis. 9). — This publication, prepared for the 1913 exposition at Ghent, 

 gives brief accounts of the organization of the ministry of agriculture, veteri- 

 nary instruction, and affairs, official and private agricultural associations, 

 agricultural and horticultural eduction and research institutions, agricultni'al 

 courses in nonagricultural institutions, agricultural home economics schools, 

 elementary and popular agricultural instruction, the service of state " agra- 

 nomes " and horticultural advisers, agricultural statistics, special phytopath- 

 ological service, etc. 



Nature-study and the teaching of elementary agriculture, Anna B. Com- 

 RTOCK (Nature-Study Rev., 10 {191.'i), No. 1, pp. 1-6). — In the author's opinion, 

 the only way to malie the teaching of elementary agriculture " of permanent 

 value is to ground it in nature study, because in nature study the child finds 

 the answer to the why of agriculture and the following up of this why broadens 

 out in so many directions that there is no chance of tlie agricultural processes 

 becoming an old story." She considers how and why nature lessons on the soil, 

 seed testing, form, growth, and function of roots, leaves, and flowering plants, 

 fertilization of flowers, weeds, insect pests, birds, and live stock add permanency 

 of value and interest to elementary agriculture. 



Some students' work (Nature-Study Rev., 10 (1914), No. 1, pp. 24-29).— 

 These observations by normal school students consist of field work in the 

 identification and study of the general habits of a number of birds, and a nature 

 calendar of birds, flowers, trees, shrubs, insects, farm activities, and other 

 observations. 



Thfa present status of nature-study in the elementary schools, Alice J. 

 Patterson (Nature-Study Rev., 9 (1913), No. 8, pp. 239-244). — In an investi- 

 gation of nature-study methods in the schools of this country, based on a 

 study of the state courses of 20 States and those of 30 large cities and repre- 

 senting the 4 geographical regions of the country, the author finds that (1) 

 nature study is recognized as a school subject in both state and city courses in 

 all parts of the country; (2) there is considerable luiity of purpose in the 

 courses offered, namely, to bring children into intelligent and sympathetic 

 touch with daily life and to train them in a scientific attitude of mind; and (3) 

 the material suggested is that found in the envii'onment of the schools. The 

 biological phase receives greatest emphasis. State courses give a decided agri- 

 cultm-al trend to the woi"k of the grammar grades. Gardening, making collec- 

 tions, setting up apparatus, and other hand work constitutes a fair proportion 



