yi PREFACE 



practical school texts that have appeared in the last ten 

 years gives the teacher "in the grades" a wide range of 

 selection. Some of these texts are also adaptable to high- 

 schools. 



The purpose of the present book is to make the teaching 

 of agriculture in the existing high -schools comparable 

 in extent and thoroughness with the teaching of physics, 

 mathematics, history and literature. In fact, the chemistry 

 and botany should, if possible, precede the agriculture as 

 given in this book; and the pupil will be all the better 

 prepared for the subject if he comes to it with considerable 

 other high-school training, for much of the value of the 

 work will be conditioned on the student's maturity and 

 his experience with life. The subject is not one that can 

 be memorized, or even acquired in the ordinary method 

 of school study; it must relate itself to the actual work 

 and business of the community in such a way as will 

 develop the student's judgment of conditions and affairs. 



If this type of text proves to be useful in the high- 

 schools, then another kind of book will be necessary 

 for the grades; and this is in course of preparation. 



L. H. BAILEY. 



THE TEACHING OF AGRICULTURE 



The interest in the teaching of agriculture is but a part 

 of a much larger question, the movement for teaching 

 by means of things that have come within the student's 

 experience. Laboratory work and all manual work are 

 but a part of the same movement. The primary purpose 

 of teaching agriculture is not to make farmers. It is a 



