Education and Agriculture 



time will certainly cure such mistaken applica- 

 tions as these. 



Still, it must be kept clearly in mind that the 

 development of school gardens and of nature 

 study is not sufficient to create the full rural 

 spirit that should exist in every country school, 

 or to bring children into sympathetic touch 

 with the conditions surrounding them ; the 

 bias must be given in all grades of instruction, 

 and, as I have already said, the school garden 

 and nature teaching are most valuable means 

 to that end, but if school gardens are not 

 rightly handled and nature teaching is not pro- 

 perly given, they are far better left alone. It 

 is remarkable what a number of teachers have 

 already qualified to give this instruction, but 

 no teacher who is not properly qualified should 

 be allowed to attempt it. 



For this rightly rural spirit in the school is 

 the beginning of all things. It will in no way 

 hinder the progress of those who intend to fol- 

 low other avocations than tilling the soil, and it 

 will so stimulate those who mean to remain in 

 the country, that they will be interested in 

 land itself, and will be ready to avail them- 

 selves of every opportunity (such as evening 

 schools, continuation classes, &c.,) of acquiring 

 advanced instruction with a direct bearing upon 

 agriculture. 



But, above all, let us be logical and recognise 

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