10 Sept., 1918.] 



Agriculture in America. 



559 



and, ill addition, raise the money for equipment and maintenance by 

 local taxation. 



There are two types of agricultural schools in Massachusetts — -the 

 special agricultural school and the high school with a department of 

 agriculture. The special agricultural schools have attached to them 

 farms on which the boys get instruction in farm practice. The average 

 area of the farm is 100 acres. 



The Home Project Principle. 



The fourteen high schools with agricultural departments have no 

 land attached to them. In both types of school the work centres round 

 what are called " Home Projects," i.e., productive projects thoroughly 



The Norfolk County Agricultural School. Massachusetts. 



studied and carefully planned at the school, but carried out, with super- 

 vision throughout the producing season by agricultural instructors, on 

 the home farms of the pupils. 



These high schools employ an agricultural specialist, who devotes his 

 entire time to the teaching of agriculture, the supervision of the " Home 

 Projects," and advisory work amongst the farmers. 



The emphasis put upon the " Home Projects " insures that the 

 agricultural instruction shall not be academic. Where agricultural 

 instruction is really scientific, there should be no hesitation in putting 

 it to the test of producing work. Approximately one-half of the school 

 day is devoted to the project study and project work. 



A continuous line of development in scientific studies is carried 

 on throughout the four years, e.g., biology of farm plants, fann animals, 

 agricultural botany, and agi-icultural chemisty are taught in such a way 



