XXIV 



LABORATORY WORK 



THE great value of laboratory work in all 

 the objective sciences is very generally recog- 

 nized ; in fact, this laboratory practice and 

 investigation, involving actual study of the 

 objects and phenomena themselves, and fre- 

 quently direct experimental work also, doubt- 

 less constitute one of the leading advantages 

 in educational value which the objective sci- 

 ences enjoy over other subjects. "The lab- 

 oratory method " is now everywhere spoken 

 of in the highest terms by the men who make 

 teaching a business. They seek to teach 

 even psychology, history, and ethics by the 

 "laboratory method." 



There is a possibility, of course, of carrying 

 such a method too far of making it a fad. 

 No one method is suited to all subjects, and 

 it is possible also that the educative value of 

 "the laboratory subjects" has been too much 

 magnified in certain cases. But the teachers 

 and students of horticulture are certain to 

 feel that good laboratory practice has never 



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