337] ORGANIZATION FOR DAIRY EDUCATION II3 



tion is given to a single subject, such as cheese making, 

 butter making, fruit growing, market gardening, etc. John 

 Hamilton, of the Office of Experiment Stations, recom- 

 mends that different phases of dairying be distributed over 

 three years in the following order : first year — butter mak- 

 ing; second year — cheese making; third year — milk pro- 

 duction. 1 The students are required to cover assigned 

 readings each day. One hour in the morning is devoted to 

 lecturing, and three hours in the afternoon to practice ex- 

 ercises in the laboratory or in the field. The tendency of 

 the movable school is to drift into a meeting similar to that 

 of an institute where no real intensive work is done by the 

 student. This of course must be avoided if the object of 

 the school is to be attained. 



Contests and the awarding of premiums have long been 

 in use to arouse interest in agricultural education. At 

 agricultural fairs exhibits of all farm products are made 

 and premiums awarded to the owner of the best exhibit. 

 The value of the pure-bred dairy cow is shown. Samples 

 of butter and cheese are scored and premiums awarded. 

 At conventions of many of the dairy associations there are 

 butter and cheese contests. Premiums are awarded on the 

 basis of the highest score and names of the recipients are 

 published in the report of the association. This has an im- 

 portant educational value because the score card points out 

 the defects of the butter and shows where improvement is 

 necessary. It also has the effect of creating a friendly 

 rivalry among dairymen, resulting finally in the adoption of 

 improved methods. 



The state dairy associations have a very important influ- 

 ence in spreading scientific dairy knowledge. The annual 



1 Circular 79, Office of Experiment Stations, U. S. Department of 

 Agriculture. 



