XV. THE ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF ANIMALS 



Problems. — I. To determine the uses of animals. 

 . (a) Indirectly as food. 



(b) Directly as food. 



(c) As domesticated animals, 

 id) For clothing. 



(e) Other direct economic uses. 



(/) Destruction of harmful plants and animals. 



II To determine the harm done by animals. 



(a) Animals destructive to those used for food. 



(&) Animals harmful to crops and gardens. 



(c) Animals harmful to fruit and forest trees. 



id) Animals destructive to stored food or clothing. 



(e) Animals indirectly or directly responsible for disease. 



To the Teacher. — Inasmuch as this work is planned for the winter months 

 the laboratory side must be largely museum and reference work. It is to be ex- 

 pected that the teacher will wish to refer to much of this work at the time work is 

 done on a given group. But it is pedagogically desirable that the work as planned 

 should be varied. Interest is thus held. Outlines prepared by the teacher to be 

 filled in by the student are desirable because they lead the pupil to individual selec- 

 tion of what seems to him as important material. Opportunity should be given 

 for laboratory exercises based on original sources. The pupils should be made to 

 use reports of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, the Biological Survey, various 

 state reports, and others. 



Special home laboratory reports may be well made at this time, for example: 

 determination at a local fish market of the fish that are cheap and fresh at a given 

 time. Have the students give reasons for this. Study conditions in the meat 

 market in a similar manner. Other local food conditions may also be studied first 

 hand. 



This chapter is intended to be a practical resume of the use and harm done 

 by animals. Some of the work is intended as a change from pure laboratory work 

 to that of reference reading. But some extremely important work outlined in this 

 chapter should be taken when the season will allow, in the laboratory, in the field, 

 or at home. Practical work on the relation of mosquitoes and flies to disease should 

 be part of every educated person's knowledge, for ability to deal with these pests 

 may mean health as well as comfort in the home locality. 



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