6 STUDIES OF OCCUPATIONS IN AGRICULTURE 



United States Department of Agriculture. Reports and 

 Bulletins. 



Weaver, E. W. Profitable Vocations for Girls, chap, xxix, agri- 

 culture. 



Weaver, E. W., and Byler, J. F. Profitable Vocations for Boys, 

 chap, xli, country life occupations. 



NOTES ON STUDYING THE OCCUPATION OF THE FARMER 

 IN CONNECTION WITH THE SUBJECT OF UNITED STATES HISTORY 



1. Tilling the soil was the most important occupation in the early 

 history of our country. 



2. The first society for promoting farming was established at 

 Philadelphia in 1785, upon the birth of a new nation whose 

 chief interest was agriculture. 



3. Fairs: The first agricultural show or fair in the United States 

 was held at Washington in 1804. Since that time local, state, 

 regional, and international agricultural societies have held 

 annual fairs at which the chief exhibits or features of interest 

 have been products of the soil, home canned goods, cattle, and 

 horses. Such fairs have resulted in improved farm machinery 

 and methods, increased production, improved breeds of live 

 stock, and enlarged social acquaintance. 



4. Agricultural schools and colleges: Under the Morrill Act of 

 Congress in 1862 were established our first agricultural colleges, 

 now found in all states in the Union. Agricultural secondary 

 schools or high school agricultural courses are now very com- 

 mon in most states. Farm management, as a distinct study, 

 is now given a very important place in agricultural education. 



5. Farmers' institutes: The first farmers' institute was held in 

 1862 by the Massachusetts State Board of Agriculture. Now 

 throughout the country, usually in the winter season, such in- 

 stitutes have taken the form of attendance upon short unit 

 courses given at agricultural experiment stations and schools. 

 These last for several days and supply expert teachers and 

 lecturers upon farming problems. There are now held annually 

 about 10,000 such courses, attended by about 4,000,000 of our 

 farming population. 



6. The Grange: "The National Grange of Patrons of Hus- 

 bandry " was founded at Washington, D. C., in 1867. The 



