ELEVENTH AXXTAL YEAR BOOK— PART XI 655 



and the truths taught must he correspondingly elementary. On the con- 

 trary, since the several subjects to be treated are almost wholly economic, 

 involving difficult problems in farm practice and administration, it is 

 of extreme Importance that only the very best teachers that the institute 

 authorities can secure shall be provided, in order that the instruction may 

 be of the most reliable and useful character that science and experience 

 < an recommend. 



It is not possible to give a complete list of the agricultural and home- 

 making studies that may profitably be undertaken by institutes for young 

 people, much less to attempt to teach them all. Such a list would in- 

 clude every known object bearing directly or indirectly on rural life. 



While the farm presents problems most complex and difficult to be 

 thoroughly understood, on the other hand many of its operations are ap- 

 parently so simple that they seem to require no particular thought or 

 skill for their performance, and consequently come to be regarded as of 

 minor importance. 



Many of the manual processes are of this character. They are largely 

 matters of practice, or operations repeated until a degree of dexterity is 

 acquired in their performance. The general lack, however, of both knowl- 

 edge and skill on the part of many of those who engage in these everyday 

 operations is very marked when their performance by an ordinary worker 

 is compared with the rapidity and perfection of their execution by an ac- 

 complished expert. 



With a view to improvement in this direction the institute for young 

 people should offer prizes for superior skill and proficiency in manual 

 processes, and should hold competitive exhibitions at which dexterity and 

 skill would be recognized and rewarded. The most common manual prac- 

 tices in need of general improvement are the operations of milking, groom- 

 ing horses, wood chopping, fence building, corn husking, ditching, drain- 

 ing, grain shocking,- hay and grain mowing and stacking, fruit gathering, 

 fruit grading, fruit packing, whitewashing, spraying, pruning, plowing, 

 horseshoeing, sheep shearing, setting up machinery, cotton chopping, cot- 

 ton picking, cooking, baking, canning, preserving, dressmaking, house 

 decorating, papering, millinery, and similar everyday matters, all requir- 

 ing skill, the exercise of good judgment, and discrimination for their pro- 

 per performance, while some demand a. highly cultivated aesthetic taste. 



In orde"r to increase interest and at the same time to instruct young 

 people, the gathering of collections provides a valuable means and should 

 be encouraged. Specimens of rocks, soils, grasses, grains, weeds and weed 

 seeds, vegetables, flowers, fruits, insects, etc., furnish material for such 

 collections. 



The list of contests also could be extended to the preparation of papers 

 and the holding of oral examinations upon subjects requiring wider 

 culture, knowledge, and experience than those just mentioned. Such a 

 list might embrace farm management, orchard management, landscape 

 gardening, vegetable gardening, flow r er gardening, practical housekeeping, 

 the preparation of balanced rations, also papers upon local history, on 

 the local fauna and flora, local geology and geography, local laws, local 

 markets, sanitation, etc. 



