PREFACE 



quired facts, principles and descriptions are always at hand, 

 and the problem or project made the means of teaching some 

 valuable lesson in concrete form. 



The authors believe that the elementary features of agri- 

 culture can be successfully taught without technicalities. It 

 has been their aim to present a treatment so clear that chil- 

 dren from fourteen to sixteen years of age could read and 

 profit by it even without a teacher. They have also tried to 

 make the subject-matter so vital and helpful that all who are 

 interested in agriculture, even practical farmers, will care to 

 read it, and desire to carry out its lessons in practise. 



Teachers will recognize and welcome the attempt to use 

 the study of agriculture in bringing about a closer relation 

 between the school and the home. Not only teachers, but 

 county superintendents and agricultural agents will appre- 

 ciate the many helpful suggestions concerning Demonstra- 

 tion Days, Play Contests and Agricultural Club Projects ; 

 for these are coming to occupy an important place in agri- 

 cultural education. The great amount of care given to make 

 the lessons teachable through the outlining of many definite 

 and practical laboratory, field and home projects will appeal 

 to all who use the text, and save much time for the busy 

 teacher. 



The authors gratefully render their acknowledgments for 

 much cordial help received from the staffs of various state 

 colleges of agriculture and the United States Department of 

 Agriculture. Especially valuable have been the suggestions 

 and material received from the colleges of agriculture of 

 Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio, New York, Massa- 

 chusetts, Alabama, Minnesota, Kansas and Nebraska. 



