TO THE TEACHER 



An earnest teaching of this book will, we believe, add to 

 the attractiveness of your course of study. Do not hesi- 

 tate to enter heartily into the new subject. To teach agri- 

 culture you need not feel that you must be an authority 

 on all questions arising in this broad field. To teach some 

 agriculture one need not know all agriculture. If you 

 know even a few valuable facts, methods, or principles 

 that will make life on the farm easier, that will make the 

 farm more beautiful, more productive, and more profitable, 

 you will be doing good by imparting these methods and 

 these principles. 



Lead the pupils out into the field, make simple experi- 

 ments before them, and have them also perform experiments. 

 Let them learn directly from nature : a fact gained at first 

 hand will linger in the mind long after mere second-hand 

 book knowledge has departed. Teach by observation and 

 experiment. The young mind grasps the concrete but 

 wearies with the abstract. 



You will find in the practical exercises many sugges- 

 tions as to experiments that you can make with your class. 

 Do not neglect these. They will be the life of your work. 

 In many cases it will be best to perform the experimental 

 or observational work first, and turn to the text later to 

 amplify the pupil's knowledge. 



