AGRICULTURAL. EDUCATION. 95 



what extent tliey have organized in Belgium for the purpose of becoming more 

 efficient in performing the duties which fall to their charge on the farm and 

 In the home. It is noted that from a numerical standpoint the woman on the 

 farm is a very important factor in Belgium social economy, there being 385,000 

 and 325,000 women employed, respectively, in commerce and industry, while 

 no less than 514,000 are engaged in agricultural work, principally dairying 

 and poultry raising. 



The organization Ivuown as Cercles de Fermi&res was founded in 1906 with 

 2 " cercles " and 115 members. The " cercles " in 1910 numbered 74 and had a 

 membership of 6,929. Their work of the organization is primarily agricultural 

 extension instruction by means of lectures, libraries, shows, competitions, and 

 the like, but also embraces the social and moral advancement of the rural 

 population. Among the lectures and demonstrations given for the last few 

 years the following subjects are noted : The fermi^re, her mission as house- 

 mother, housewife, and farm assistant ; practical poultry keeping ; utilization 

 and preserving of fruit ; butter making ; kitchen gardening ; stable hygiene, 

 and the rational feeding of cows; advantages of cooperative dairjing; care 

 of young farm animals ; the preparation of food ; the feeding and diseases of 

 children; antituberculosis hygiene; care of clothes and furniture; farm book- 

 lieeping; the organization of agricultural banks; and the projjer investment 

 of money, etc. The lectures in 1906 numbered 4 and the attendance 90, and 

 in 1910, 232 and 14,290, respectively. 



The "cercles" may be organized in such a way as to secure benefits and 

 subsidies from the ministry of agriculture. 



The teaching of farm management, "W. M. IIa\'s et al. (Minnesota Sta. 

 Bui. 125, pp. U-96, figs. 47; U. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Plant Indus. Bui. 236, irp. 

 ■'i'i-9G, figs. 7/7). — An effort is made in this bulletin to bring the subject matter 

 of farm management into better i>edagogical form to sei-ve as a guide in teach- 

 ing farm management in the rural and higher agricultural schools. The fol- 

 lowing phases of the subject are discussed and illustrated: The teaching of 

 farm management ; teaching farm organization in consolidated rural schools ; 

 the key-map method of organizing the fj'.rm ; and teaching farm management in 

 agricultural high schools. The illustrations given are results of a special 

 study in connection with the School of Agriculture of the University of Minne- 

 sota and the Minnesota Station. 



The appendix contains instructions to students for planning a farm and gives 

 plans of 17 different farms as prepared by students, together with the instruc- 

 tor's criticisms. 



The soil: Its use and abuse, E. O. Fippin {Cornell Reading-Courses, Soil 

 Ser., 1911, t^o. 1, pp. 16, figs. 14). — The author discusses soil formation, soil 

 types, humus, soil moisture, food supply, tillage, and soil improvement, and gives 

 a list of publications of interest. 



Seed testing, W. L. Oswald (Nature-Study Rev., S (1912), No. 1, pp. 12-21, 

 figs. 9). — The object of this paper is to show how both purity and germination 

 tests can b^ made in schools or at home without the use of expensive appa- 

 ratus. A weed-seed case prepared by the seed laboratory of the Minnesota 

 Agricultui'al Experiment Station, a germination box, and rack for holding ears 

 of corn in the individual-ear germination test of corn are illustrated and de- 

 scribed. 



Logging and lumbering or forest utilization, C. A. Schenck (Darmstadt, 

 Germany, [1912], pp. 189, figs. 270). — This is a text-book for forest schools 

 dealing with both lumbering operations and wood manufactures. 



Some observations on bird families, D. E. Minnich (Nature-Stud'!/ Rev., 

 S (1912), No. 1, pp. 24-21). — Observations are given of families of downy 



