INTRODUCTION. 



Although laboratory instruction in agriculture is relatively new, it is surprising to ob- 

 serve how little it has gained from pedagogical progress in other sciences. This is particu- 

 larly true in the matter of carefully prepared laboratory exercises and supplies. Our pres- 

 ent methods of teaching other sciences have resulted from long and trying experiences, but 

 is it not a fact that the teaching of agriculture, especially in the more elementary forms, in- 

 stead of profiting by these experiences, is tending strongly to repeat the same mistakes? 

 For example, it is but a few years since the laboratory teaching of elementary physics was 

 lamentably weak. The principles of the subject were poorly organized and usually ob- 

 scured in a mass of details, not infrequently being entirely lost sight of in over-exacting 

 methods of experimentation and elaborate apparatus. Today the abandoning of these er- 

 rors is making physics a practical laboratory study for the average student. To ignore these 

 facts will, in the opinion of the authors, materially delay the time when laboratory work in 

 agriculture will be effectively taught in secondary courses. 



Much as the authors have felt the seriousness of the situation mentioned above, they 

 have tried not to err in the opposite direction, namely, that of simplifying the work to an 

 outline of mere suggestions, too brief to be of much value to teacher or student. Such sug- 

 gestions as to laboratory work have come mainly from two sources: (1) Text books in agri- 

 culture, appearing as in other sciences, before laboratory manuals, have frequently and not 

 improperly suggested laboratory work to accompany text study. (2) Many brief outlines of 

 laboratory work have been written by state superintendents of public instruction and by 

 specialists in the various branches of science. Unfortunately for the success of these outline 

 plans, the already over-burdened teacher seldom has either time or facilities to carefully pre- 

 pare in detail lessons merely suggested. Without the aid of carefully prepared lessons, the 

 average student studies to little advantage. This lack of prepared exercises and correspond- 

 ing supplies results in bluff and disgust on the part of the teacher; inattention, disorder, and 

 equal disgust on the part of the student. The naive outline suggestion, "Study the grasses 

 growing in the field," has about the same meaning and effect as if one would say to a Hot- 

 tentot, "Go into the jewelry store and study those fine watches which you will find there." 



The object in writing this course in Agricultural Laboratory instruction has been: 



(1) To present some of the more important agricultural facts in such a way as to in- 

 terest the student, encourage him to think clearly and consecutively along practical agricul- 

 tural lines, and to help him so organize facts that broad general principles are established. 



(2) To so organize agricultural supplies that fairly complete scales or standards are es- 

 tablished from which the student can reason and judge. 



(3) To make supplies readily available to schools at moderate cost. 



The work as presented in this manual had its beginning in at least two independent 

 sources: (1) The method of preparing detailed exercises for teaching elementary general 

 agriculture in secondary schools had its origin largely in the teaching and direction of H. 

 B. Brownell, Professor of School Sciences, University of Nebraska. (2) The idea of prepar- 

 ing laboratory exercises in field crops and making available to schools the necessary supplies 

 for teaching the same, originated ten or twelve years ago with Professors E. G. Montgomery 

 and T. L. Lyon, both formerly of Nebraska, but now at Cornell University. The manual of 

 these two teachers, "Examining and Grading Grains," has done much to encourage and syste- 

 matize laboratory study in field crops throughout the United States. It was largely the de- 

 mand for field crop material created by this manual which revived into life the abandoned 



