692 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



Two defects in the law are noted : ( 1 ) That it jiermits short-term loans only, 

 and (2) that no provision for securing a loan is made for the small farmer who 

 is isolated and not a member of a cooperative association. 



Agricultural mutual credit banks in 1906 {Bui. Statis. Leg. Compar., 31 

 {1901), Xo. .S, yi). 112-176). — At the close of 1906 the district banks numbered 

 76, a gain of 10 over 11)05, and had advanced from the government funds 

 22,985,381 francs, an increase of 3,T17,5oO francs. Interest varies from 3 to 4 

 per cent, with a tendency toward the lower rate. The local banks affiliated 

 with the district banks numbered 1,638 with 76,188 borrowers, gains of 283 and 

 14,314, respectively. Loans outstanding amounted to 25,409.195 francs. Tabu- 

 lated data are presented of the condition of the local credit banks in each 

 department of France as to number, borrowers, invested capital, and loans 

 granted. 



Crop Reporter {U. aS. Dept. Agr., Bur. Statis. Crop Reporter, 10 {1908), Xo. 

 J, pp. 1-8). — The usual statistical data on the condition, acreage, yields, and 

 i[)rices of agricultural products in the I'nited States and foreign countries are 

 summarized and discussed. 



Agricultural statistics of Ireland, with detailed report for the year 1906, 

 W. G. S. Adams {Dept. Agr. and Tech. Instr. Ireland, Agr. Statis. 1906, pp. 

 XXXVIII+166).— This repoi-t presents a detailed and comparative record of 

 the acreage and yields of crops, the number and classes of breeding stock, land 

 holdings, and forestry operations, the number and estimated production of 

 creameries, malt houses, and grain and scutch mills, and the rates of agricul- 

 tural wages. 



Agricultural statistics, Ireland, 1906-7, W. G. S. Adams {Dept. Agr. and 

 Tech. Instr. Ireland, Agr. Statis. 1906-1, pp. 11 '/. dgnis. 11). — This is a compila- 

 tion of the prices in Ireland of live stock and other agricultural produce for the 

 year ended June 30, 1907, in comparison with similar data for preceding years. 



The production and trade in cereals of various countries {Bol. Leg. e 

 Statis. Doff, e Com., 24 {1907), Apr. 1, pt. 2, pp. 225-210; Apr. 16, pt. 2, pp. 211- 

 312; May 1, pt. 2, pp. S13-SJi9). — These numbers contain statistical data with 

 discussion of the production, exportation, and importation of wheat, rye, barley, 

 oats, corn, and other cereals by the chief commercial nations of the world for 

 the year 1906, in comparison with similar data for preceding years. 



AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. 



The common schools and the farm youth, Jj. H. Bailey {Century, H 

 {1901), Ao. 6, pp. 960-961, figs. 2, dgnt. 1). — This is a discussion of what the 

 farm school can do for the farm youth in the way of teaching them how to live. 

 This, the writer thinks, will come about largely through the teaching of nature 

 study and elementary agriculture, which are at present treated more or less as 

 separate subjects, but will not necessarily be so treated when such subjects as 

 geography, arithmetic, reading, and manual training are so "redirected" as 

 to deal first and primarily with the concrete things entering into the everyday 

 experience of the children. 



The article deals with the status of the nature study movement, some objects 

 of nature study, methods of nature study, results to be expected from nature 

 ■ study teaching, and the apitlication to country schools. 



The teaching o^ agriculture in rural schools, J. Main {III. Agr.. 11 {1901), 

 -Vo. 9, pp. 326-331) .—This is a plea for the introduction of agriculture into ex- 

 isting public high schools in preference to the establishment of agricultural high 

 schools. A course in agriculture to extend over two years of high-school work 

 is outlined. 



