PREFACE 



The authors of this little book believe that there is no 

 line of separation between the science of agriculture and 

 the practical art of agriculture. They are assured by expe- 

 rience that agriculture is eminently a teachable subject. 

 They are convinced that the theory and practice of agricul- 

 ture can be taught at one and the same time. They see 

 no difference between teaching the child the fundamental 

 principles of farming and teaching the same child the 

 fundamental truths of arithmetic, geography, or grammar. 

 They hold that a youth should be trained for the farm 

 just as he is trained for any other occupation. 



If they are right in these views, the training must begin 

 in the public schools. This is true for two reasons : 



I. It is universally admitted that aptitudes are devel- 

 oped, tastes acquired, life habits formed during the years 

 that a child is in the public school. Hence, during these 

 important years, every child intended for the farm should 

 be taught to know and love nature, should be led to form 

 habits of observation, and should be required to begin a 

 study of those great laws upon which agriculture is based. 

 A training like this would go far towards making his life- 

 work profitable and delightful. 



