AGRICULTUEAL EDUCATION. 91 



creating of a reserve sufficient to cover probable losses. These essentials are 

 said to exist in the system as operated by the New Zealand Government. 



A plan for the organization of a rural banking- system in the State of 

 Virginia, C. H. Davis (U. 8. Senate, 62. Cong., 3. Sess., Doc. 1006, 1913, pp. 

 32). — The author outlines in this document vrhat he considers a practical plan 

 for the organization of a rural banking system in the State of Virginia. Among 

 other things the plan provides for the organization of local rural banks which 

 will serve to bring together the neighborhood funds and make them available 

 for the development and improvement of farms in the surrounding community ; 

 loans would be made to farmers for periods not exceeding fifty years, secured 

 by first mortgage, based on the appraisement by the local bank, limited to a 

 certain proportion of the value at which the lands are assessed for state taxa- 

 tion, and to be annually reduced by the repayment of a small portion of the 

 principal. They would bear a low rate of interest, to be guarantied both as to 

 principal and interest by the local rural bank and by a large central bank, such 

 bank to market the loans so secured and guarantied. 



Further details of the plan are given. 



How a system of farm credits will benefit the farmer, T. J. Jackson 

 ([Fargo, N. Dak.], 1913, pp. Ui). — This is an address delivered at the Grain 

 Grower's Convention held at Fargo, N. Dak., January 14-18, 1913, in which the 

 author presents a brief historical sketch of our banking system, points out the 

 defects, gives a brief history of the cooperative movement, discusses the 

 European credit systems, and proposes the establishment of agricultural credit 

 banks in the United States for the pui-pose of supplying farmers with money at 

 low rates of interest with which to buy land and finance their farms. 



AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. 



The rural school as a center of country life, C. W. Dabney ( Proc. Conf. Ed. 

 South, 15 {1912), pp. 142-152). — The thought brought out in this address from 

 an agricultural standpoint is that when the teachers in the rural schools can 

 cooperate with parents in arranging field and feeding demonstrations, testing 

 milk and seeds, studying varieties of plants, etc., the work of the school will 

 then help to make the activities of the farm intelligent and thereby induce boys 

 to stay on the farm, prepare people for a larger and more effective country life, 

 and adapt the rural school more closely to its needs. 



The rural school of to-day and ten years hence, C. H. Lane {Md. State 

 Teachers' Assoc. Ann. Meeting, 45 {1912), pp. 134-137). — Some of the most 

 glaring defects of the rural schools are pointed out as a basis for considering 

 what the country schools should be 10 years hence. 



[Eural school improvement] {Ohio Teacher, 33 {1913), No. 7, pp. 289-328, 

 figs. 9 ) . — This number is devoted almost wholly to the papers and addresses pre- 

 sented at the eleventh annual session of the Ohio School Improvement Federa- 

 tion. Among the papers given are Our Rural Schools, State Support of Public 

 Schools in Ohio, What Professional Training Should the State Require of Inex- 

 perienced Teachers, and The Centralization of Rural Schools.' 



The teaching of agriculture in the public schools of Illinois, I. A. Madden 

 {Normal School Quart. [Normal, III.], 1913, No. 46, pp. 16). — A general discus- 

 sion of the subject, together with a bimonthly outline for a high school course 

 in agriculture covering 4 years. 



Winnebago County schools annual reports, O. J. Keen {Ann. Rpt. Wmne- 

 hago Co. [III.] Schools, 1912, pp. 96, figs. 98). — This report contains, in addi- 

 tion to the usual information concerning the schools of the county, chapters 

 on outdoor improvement, including education for country life, indoor improve- 

 ment with reference to health conditions, schoolroom decoration, school libra- 



