361 



club work of other states affords many examples of "sufficient in- 

 centive" in the way of awards, which we may profit by in devel- 

 oping the work. Trips to the state agricultural college, to the 

 university farm school, to the state fair, or to a boys' or girls' 

 camp, have all proved popular as the highest award for a county. 

 Lesser awards, significant in character, can readily be arranged 

 for winners of local contests. Exhibition of prize products of 

 each club at the county fair, exhibits at the state fair, etc., are 

 legitimate means of popularizing and adding interest to the work. 



SEED DISTRIBUTION. 



As a part of the extension work for schools the seed exchange 

 of previous years was continued through 1912-1913. Miss Jones 

 was in charge of this work and reports a total of 218 seed packets 

 sent out during the year, to twenty different schools. In connec- 

 tion with this work suggestions were made and advice given, 

 where requested, as to the choice of plants and as to planting 

 plans for school grounds, home grounds, etc. Lists of vines suit- 

 able for use in different parts of California, a list of plants that 

 grow well in the shade, and a list of drought resistant plants were 

 also prepared in response to inquiries. 



AGRICULTURE IX CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS. 



During the past year agriculture was taught in fifty-one high 

 schools of the state, the courses varying from one to four years 

 in length. In response to letters sent to the fifty-eight county su- 

 perintendents in the state regarding the present status of agricul- 

 tural instruction in the elementary and grammar schools, thirty- 

 six replies were received. Six superintendents reported that ag- 

 riculture was not being taught in their schools, the reasons being 

 that severity of climate or non-agricultural districts naturally elim- 

 inated the subject from the schools. One superintendent did not 

 favor the introduction of agriculture in the grammar grades vmtil 

 it could be properly taught, which he did not consider possible 

 under his present conditions and with his present teachers. He 

 thought club and contest work would meet his requirements best 

 for the present. Eleven counties reported that their schools were 

 required to offer agriculture as a subject in the seventh and eighth 

 grades. This work in most instances consisted merely in one or 

 two terms of reading of some prescribed text. In a few counties 

 the course is outlined in the county manual which the teachers are 

 expected to follow more or less closely. 



School garden work is reported in twenty-eight counties and it 

 is being given in four or five other counties that did not report. 



