AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. 195 



A correlated course of study in agriculture, geography, and physiology 

 for rural schools, E. A. C'ockefair (Caijc Girardcdii, Mo. IJ'JIO], pi) G3). — This 

 l)ami)blet outlines a two-year course arranged by quarters for the seventh and 

 eighth grades of the public schools, fallowed by 41 pages of "explanation and 

 elaboration." The details of the course are carefully worked out and abundant 

 references are given to agricultural text-books, standard school texts in other 

 subjects, and Farmers" Bulletins of this Department. A considerable part of 

 the work proposed, however, is quite definitely of secondary grade, and would 

 seem to require much elimination and simplification for grades below the 

 high school. 



Agricultural nature study as exemplified in the school garden, F. L. 

 Chahlks iXatKrc-^Sfiid!/ Rev.. 6 {1910), Xo. .'/, /)/». 87-92, fic;s. 2).— The author 

 believes that a degree of scientific agricultural experimeutal work can be effect- 

 ively done by young pupils in the school garden. 



In illustration of this he describes an experiment conducted by pupils under 

 his directioH at the Northern Illinois State Normal School at De Kalb, in which 

 6 varieties of radishes were tested with and without fertilizers, under such 

 control conditions as the pupils could appreciate. As a result of these tests the 

 pupils were able to select the most desirable variety and also to see clearly 

 the advantages of using fertilizers. The author concludes that "children so 

 taught may not become scieutists, but they will be the more ready in later 

 life to accept the teachings of science, and from their ranks will come its 

 patrons." 



Children's gardens for pleasure, health, and education, H. G. Parsons 

 (New York, 1910, pp. [Xll]+226, pi. 1, figs. 121, dgms. 6).— Part 1 of this 

 volume deals with the theoretical considerations favoring the use of gardening 

 for the educational development of children. The author emphasizes its value 

 in lessening poverty, sickness, and inefficiency, in teaching economy of time and 

 labor, in training for other occupations and for civic affairs, and in developing 

 a sense of the dignity of work. An important chapter is on The Pedagogy of the 

 Spade. 



Part 2 deals with the practical equipment and management of a school gar- 

 den — the seeds and tools needed, the preparation of the soil, planting and sub- 

 sequent work, and the functions of sunlight, air, water, and earthworms In 

 plant growth. An entire chapter is given to the explanation of the " reasons 

 for things." so that the teacher as well as pupil may understand the basis for 

 the rules and suggestions given. Elementary forestry is treated in another 

 chapter, and household industries in a third. The final chapter presents a list 

 of books and government publications for teachers. The distinctive character 

 of this book lies in its pedagogic attitude throughout. 



How to test seed corn in school ( U. 8. Dept. Agr., Office Expt. Stns. Circ. 96, 

 pji. 7, figs. .'/). — This circular describes a simple sand-tray method of testing the 

 germination of seed corn which can be utilized in any rural or high school, em- 

 phasizes the reasons for making such tests scientifically, and suggests some 

 teacliing relations between this work and the study of other common-school 

 subjects. 



Wisconsin Arbor and Bird Day annual, 1910, O. S. Rice (Madison. Wis.: 

 8t(itc Siipt. Pi(h. Inslr., 1910, pp. Ill, pix. 6, figs. 75).— The full-page plates of 

 this annual present illustrations in the natural colors of the American bald 

 eagle, bobolink, hermit thrush, indigo bunting, golden-crowned kinglet, and 

 black-throated blue warbler. 



Arbor Day annual, 1910: Selected books on nature study for schools and 

 libraries, Ei.va L. Bascom ( [.V. i .] Ed. Dcpt. Bui. 7/67, i)p- -'/-)• — This is a classi- 



