AGRICULTURE 



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AGRICULTURE 



Geography lessons. Peculiarities of the local 

 climate with respect to early spring farm work 

 should be studied. Have maps drawn showing 

 the market radius for various products. Indi- 

 cate with ink of different colors the places where 

 local farm supplies are purchased. Have maps 

 drawn of state or province and have indicated 

 thereon farmers* associated creameries, etc. Com- 

 pile information regarding late spring frosts and 

 dates for planting or transplanting. 



History work. The following subjects are 

 suggested for classroom discussion, after they 

 have been looked up by the pupils: sources of 

 food supply and transportation facilities in tin- 

 early days of the nation ; the effect of crops 

 and industries in certain sections; the attitude 

 of those sections toward national issues; the 

 Inter-relation between agricultural progress and 

 invention. 



Drawing lessons. For sketching material use 

 seedlings, buds, open or bursting, tools used in 

 grafting and pruning; in certain localities a 

 sugar camp is an excellent subject. Have dia- 

 grams made of cold frame, brood nests or in- 

 cubator. 



Physiology lessons. Make a further study of 

 foods and compare different varieties of fruits 

 and vegetables as to food value. Study the 

 digestion of starch in the human body and in 

 plants. Begin spring clean-up campaign, with 

 special attention to breeding places of flies and 

 mosquitoes. 



Manual training exercises. Direct pupils to 

 construct brood nests, transplanting boxes and 

 wooden garden labels. Make sample crates for 

 shipping eggs. 



APRIL 



Practical exercises indoors and out. Arrange 

 for demonstrations of methods of hatching and 

 early brooding of chickens, and of transplanting 

 tomatoes and other plants started in cold frames. 

 Plowing and harrowing of project fields and 

 gardens should be undertaken. Make a garden 

 and crops survey of the district. Have records 

 kept of habits and food of returning birds. Now 

 is the time for planning and beginning work on 

 the improvement of the school grounds. Bird 

 houses may be placed and fruit and shade tree* 

 t.d. Make plans for the fall exhibit before 

 planting crops. 



Composition work. Assign written report* of 

 excursions, demonstrations and work begun on 

 projects. There are many timely subjects for 

 Mays, such as early care of chickens, starting 

 tomato plants, neighborhood birds, etc. A useful 

 drill In composition is the arrangement of a 

 tree-planting exercise. See ARBOR DAT. 



Reading and spelling lessons. For supple- 

 mentary readings choose such selections a* 

 Alice Carey's That Calf: Whlttlor's The Ban- 

 foot Roy; Rlley's South Wind and Bun; Bryant's 

 The Bong of the Bower; Helen Hunt Jackson's 

 April; Brown's In the Heart of a Bred; Kmlly 

 rhe Bluebird: Saxe's Solomon and the 

 Beea. Look up reading mr Morae 



fruit g.inlen. annual flowering plants, managing 

 poultry, how to grow an acre of corn, Incu- 

 bators, how to make and use bird houses. Con- 

 tinue drill on words. 



Problems in arithmetic. Base the problems 

 on areas for each crop, amount of fertilizer 

 used, estimated crop, etc. Make estimates of 

 damage prevented by insect-eating birds. Con- 

 tinue use of poultry, feed and milk records in 

 devising problems. 



Geography lessons. Trace, by means of news- 

 papers and personal investigations, the sources 

 of and nearest large market for the supply of 

 eggs and poultry- Locate on state or provincial 

 maps the chief producing areas and large 

 markets for tomato plants, ripe and canned 

 tomatoes or other produce. From what sec- 

 tions do the best supplies come? If local out- 

 put is below par, how could it be improved? 



History lessons. Study the history of na- 

 tional legislation with respect to agricultural 

 education. Make a survey of agricultural 

 schools and colleges established by provinces 

 or states and the nation. What advantages have 

 farmers to-day as compared with those of a 

 century ago. Begin study of the movement to 

 save the birds. 



Drawing lessons. Make illustrations showing 

 how small plants and fruit trees are trans- 

 planted. Make working drawings to illustrate 

 construction of bird houses ; also of garden 

 markers and other implements. 



Physiology lessons. Begin a district sanitary 

 survey which shall include water supply, dis- 

 posal of sewage, control of flies and mosquitoes 

 and other features of home sanitation. Include 

 care of milk and other foods, dairy inspection, 

 tests for tuberculosis, etc. Give a lesson on 

 the interchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen, 

 showing how plants and animals aid one an- 

 other. See PLANTS. 



Manual training exercises. Construct bird 

 houses, garden markers and transplanting trays. 

 Have needed repairs of school apparatus made. 

 If Arbor Day occurs in this month, have a tree 

 set out and a trellis made for its protection. 

 It is a good plan to have a road drag made 

 and to see that it is used in the district. 



MAT; JUNE 



Practical exercises. Those who live In the 

 fruit belt should visit orchards and observe 

 methods of spraying trees to kill Insects. Com- 

 plete work of planting or transplanting in school 

 gardens, and all other projects. Arrange with 

 local farmers to have the pupils see practical 

 demonstrations of field cultivation and methods 

 of control I ins; Insects. Make observations of 

 early feeding and summer care of chickens. 



Composition work. Reports of planting and 

 other field and garden work may be written up. 

 Also have descriptions written of field trips and 

 demonstrations. 



Reading and spelling lessons. It will be easy 

 to find numerous selections appropriate for the 

 summer season. Choose such titles as Mann's 

 The Farmer's Creed; Anderson's The Pea Blos- 

 som; Saxe Holm's A Bong of Clover; Ho* 

 Bong of the Oriole; Longfellow 4 * Blessing the 

 Cornfield (from Hiawatha) and Birds of Killing- 

 worth; Lowell's A Day in June. Search for 

 .iture on the apple and corn and their cul- 

 tivation. Continue reading on the fly. All the 



