394 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



some of the guiding principles to be followed in outlining a course of study in 

 agriculture in the rural schools, suggests units of instruction by groups and 

 grades, and makes other suggestions as to the best methods of giving such in- 

 struction and correlating it with various agricultural activities found among 

 patrons of the school. 



A minimum course of study in agriculture for rural elem.entary one- 

 teacher schools located in agricultural communities, R. O. Johnson (Ad- 

 dresses and Proc. JS^it. Ed.. Assoc, 50 {1912), pp. 14OI-I4IS). — This report 

 outlines a course of study in agriculture for rural elementary schools located 

 in agricultural communities, in which the committee has considered the need 

 for a minimum course, what such a course should include, the weakness of the 

 " rotation " course, the adaptation of topics to grades, and the adaptation of 

 the course to schools with a varying number of grades. Suggestions are made 

 as to what should be included in the minimum course and illustrations are 

 given as to the manner in which topics may be worked out. 



A schedule of the minimum course in agriculture as planned for the rural 

 and graded schools of Iowa is also submitted, together with suggestive items 

 for a course of home work to receive school credit. 



Forestry and the public schools, E. R. Jackson (Addresses and Proc. Nat. 

 Ed. Assoc, 50 (1012), pp. 1386-1391).— This paper discusses the relation of 

 forestry to agriculture and the Influence of forests upon soils, water supply, 

 and the atmosphere of the continent; points out the educational value of the 

 subject when properly taught ; and claims that while it should not be Introduced 

 into the public schools by supplanting some existing subject it is an essential 

 part of school work that may be used to supplement a number of other subjects. 



Kural school g-ardens differentiated from city school g'ardens, V. E. Kil- 

 PATEicK (Addresses and Proc Nat. Ed. Assoc, 50 (1912), pp. 1377-1379) .—The 

 author believes that both rural and city school gardens are justified on the 

 ground that they offer a fundamentally educative material and furnish an 

 interest which arouses the potent forces in the educative process used. The 

 rural school garden aims to idealize agricultural work and improve agricultural 

 methods, dignify farm life, and train the pupil for greater efficiency. The city 

 school garden offers an opportunity for the pupil to work in the open air and 

 sunlight, and while it does not teach him to become a farmer it trains him for 

 citizenship. 



The home g^arden and experimental plats, E. R. Downing (Addresses and 

 Proc Nat, Ed. Assoc, 50 (1912), pp. 1381-1386) .—In place of school gardens to 

 be worked and looked after during the school session but allowed to grow up 

 in weeds during vacation, the author advocates the establishment of home 

 gardens and experimental plats in connection with the school, holding that their 

 educational value is equal to that of the school garden and has added advan- 

 tages in that it establishes normal relations of instruction between parent and 

 child, adds to the economic resources of the family, and enables the school to 

 avail itself of the skill and knowledge of the entire community in the garden 

 instruction. 



Suggestions are made as to how such a scheme could be enlarged by holding 

 an agricultural fair at the school in the early fall, at which there should be 

 a competitive exhibition of garden produce, flowers, vegetables, fruits, etc., 

 that have been grown by the children alone or which they have helped to 

 produce or prepare. 



Farm crops laboratory material, A. C. Arny (Minnesota Sta. Press Bui. Jf3, 

 rev. and enl., 1913, pp. 16, figs. S). — This publication gives a catalogue and price 

 list of exhibits of a number of farm crops which have been prepared by the Min- 

 nesota College of Agriculture for sale with a view to overcoming the difficulty 



