MISCELLANEOUS. 199 



Some features of recent progress in agricultural education, A. C. Trie ( U. S. 

 Dept. Agr., Office of Ei-perimeid Stations Rpi. 1902, pp. 417-4.59, pis. i^) . — This article 

 presents some of the main features of recent advancement in agricuhural teaching 

 and methods in this country. An account is given of the 4 weeks' graduate school 

 of agriculture held at the Ohio State University in July, 1902. A paper was read by 

 the author at that meeting showing that agriculture at the present time is as truly a 

 science as is that of geology, geography, or medicine. The educational values of 

 courses in agriculture are discussed at some length and concrete examples given of 

 present courses in agriculture in colleges, secondary agrit'ultural schools, and town 

 high schools. 



The improvement of education in rural schools, J. W. Robertson (Ontario 

 Agr. and Erpt. Cnion. Bpt. 190J, jip. 78-84). — A general discussion of this subject. 



Cooperation between experiment stations and farmers ( U. tS. Dept. Agr., 

 Office of Experiment Station.'i Rpt. 1902, pp. 491-540, ph. 5, fig. 1). — In this account an 

 attempt is made to bring out the origin and history of the movement for cooperation 

 between the experiment stations and farmers; the present status of the movement, 

 including details as to the extent and character of different phases of the work; and 

 the value of cooperative experiments to the station or college, the farmers, and to 

 agricultural science. 



As typical of this work examples in the Southern States, Middle West, and ^North- 

 ern States and Canada are cited. Southern Avork is illustrated concretely by the coop- 

 erative experiments conducted by the Alabama Station, which are reviewed in detail 

 by J. F. Duggar. Cooperative work in the West is illustrated by experiments carried 

 out mider the direction of the Illinois Station and reported by E. Davenport. In the 

 North the cooperative work done in New York State by the college of agriculture of 

 Cornell University is selected for illustration, the work being described by J. L. 

 Stone; and Canadian work is reported by C. A. Zavitz, of the Ontario Agricultural 

 College. 



Cooperative work bet\\een farmers and stations has been found to furnish ready 

 means for distributing and testing improved varieties of seeds and plants throughout 

 the country, and for bringing the agricultural colleges and experiment stations into 

 close and mutually helpful relations with the farming communities. Besides it is a 

 valuable training for the farmers themselves in systematic and accurate work. 



"Popular" editions of station bulletins, F. H. Hall [U. S. Dept. Agr., Office 

 of Experiment Stations Bpt. 1902, pp. 4-81-489). — The author shows that simple con- 

 densed summaries of station work are much in favor with farmers in New York, and 

 that where stations puljlish more than 10 bulletins averaging 30 pages each in the 

 year enough can be saved on printing to pay the expenses of an expert editor. 



Crop Reporter {V. S. Dept. Agr., Bureau of Statistics Crop Beporter, Vol. 5, Xos. 1, 

 pp. 1-8; 2, pip. 9-16; S, pp. 17-24) . — These numbers, for ^lay, June, and July, 1903, 

 contain the usual statistical information on the condition of crops in the United States 

 and foreign countries. 



Agricultural statistics of Ireland, 1902 {Dublin: T>ept. Agr. and Tech. In.^tr., 

 1903, pp. XLIX-: 16.5, dgms. 3, map 1). 



Agriculture for beginners, C. W. Burkett, F. L. Stevexs, and D. H. Hill 

 {Boston and London: Ginn & Co., 1903, pp. XII-r267, pi l,figs. ;?i-5).— The authors 

 believe that the theory and practice of agriculture can and should be taught in the 

 public schools, and they have prepared a suitable text-book for this purpose. They 

 "see no difference between teaching the child the fundamental princijiles of farming 

 and teaching the same child the fundamental truths of arithmetic, geography, or 

 grammar." The book is written in a pleasing manner and is well illustrated. The 

 subjects treated have been carefully and appropriately selected. Chapters are 

 devoted to the soil; the soil and the plant; the plant; how to raise a fruit tree; the 

 diseases of plants; orchard, garden and field insects; farm crops; domestic animals, 

 and farm dairying. The book is a valuable addition to the facilities for teaching the 

 elements of agriculture. 



