Land Problems and National Welfare 



Gardening Clubs, and Junior Naturalist Socie- 

 ties, which would give boys practically the 

 same education as continuation schools and 

 classes under other and more attractive names. 



Note. — Boys' Agricultural Clubs were first 

 started in Illinois about six years ago, and have 

 now been formed in several States of the 

 American Union. Their aim is the definite 

 improvement of agriculture by enlisting the 

 interest and co-operation of the young farmer 

 and farm lad. Seeds, for instance, are distri- 

 buted amongst the members of the club to 

 begin with, and prizes are offered for the best 

 results. The idea of a school, as such, is alto- 

 gether absent, but the members are gradually 

 brought into direct touch with educational 

 activity, and these receive such instruction as 

 would be provided by a well-organized inter- 

 mediate agricultural school. The distinguishing 

 feature of the movement is that it is a voluntary 

 association of young men concerned in the 

 cultivation of the soil : they are encouraged to 

 help themselves, and the demand for opportuni- 

 ties to learn emanates from the members, as 

 they realize more and more that success in 

 farming depends upon knowledge as much as 

 upon manual skill. An account of the Clubs 

 may be read in " School " (John Murray) for 

 January, igo6, and in the Year-Book of the 

 United States Department of Agriculture for 



192 



