230 ELEMENTARY AGRICULTURE 



Agriculture in Schools. The principles of agri- 

 culture are rapidly being introduced into tlie rural 

 schools as part of the course of study. Thirteen 

 states now require the teaching of agriculture in 

 the common schools. It is also encouraged and 

 taught in thirty-one other states, which have not 

 as yet required it by law. This makes in all forty- 

 four states where agriculture is being taught in some 

 measure. Many city schools are also attempting 

 some work in connection with school gardens. 

 (Fig. 97.) 



Field Agents. The Department of Agriculture 

 has been studying and investigating for a long time, 

 and they have been sending out millions of copies 

 of pamphlets to any one asking for them. But 

 since so many farmers are not alive to their need 

 for instruction and are not reading these pamphlets, 

 the Department is now sending out expert men as 

 field agents (Fig. Ill) to meet the farmers and to 

 encourage them to form for their own improvement 

 such organizations as cow-testing associations and 

 the like. For boys there are Cotton Clubs, Corn 

 Clubs, and numerous others; while for girls there 

 are such organizations as the Girls' Garden Clubs 

 and Tomato Canning Clubs. (Fig. 112.) 



Club Movement Spreads. The club movement 

 among country boys and girls has grown in a re- 

 markable way. In every section of the country 

 there are club members doing the regular club 

 work of raising a crop under the special instructions 



