fisher] ELEMEXTARY AGRICULTURE IN INDIANA 37 



of the young plant, and its development into the mature form are 

 of great interest. Starting in this way, it has been possible to 

 carry the work along more systematic lines than when beginning 

 with the study of a particular crop. However, both methods 

 are leading to practically the same end and are giving results 

 which are truly educational. 



An inquiry by the writer as to what topics are best suited to 

 schoolroom presentation shows that practically all agree that 

 facts and demonstrations relating to seed germination, plant 

 culture, and soil management are most popular and most effec- 

 tively presented. Some schools have taken up work in 

 grafting and fruit production, and others have worked with live 

 stock. In nearly all schools nature-study has had a place and 

 the facts of nature have been used to explain many of the com- 

 mon occurrences on the farm. The study of insects, birds, and 

 weeds are the most popular phases of nature-study. In all 

 cases it is the purpose of the teacher to make the work in agri- 

 culture practical, and many little experiments to demonstrate its 

 practicability are carried out in the schoolroom. 



The gradation of the work is lacking somewhat in uniformity. 

 Reports from county superintendents show that in 45 per cent of 

 the counties giving instruction in agriculture, it is given to all 

 grades below the high school and in many of these the work is 

 also given in the high school. In all, 25 per cent of the counties 

 report instruction given in the high-school grades. Manv 

 counties give instruction only in the upper grades, while a few 

 confine it to the primary grades where it must of necessity be 

 more nature-study than agriculture. 



In many high schools the work is correlated with botany to 

 the advantage of this subject. Correlation has been found to be 

 a very practicable method of presenting agriculture in most 

 schools, due to a crowded schedule and a heavy curriculum. 

 Some teachers present the work in lecture form before the entire 

 body of pupils, but in most cases it is presented to the separate 

 classes according to their capabilities. When the schedule is 

 over-crowded, many teachers have found time for agriculture by 

 alternating it with other subjects, as, for instance, reading and 

 geography. Geography, by the way, is an excellent subject with 

 which to correlate, especially the soil study. As a rule, recita- 

 tions in agriculture are not held oftener than twice a week. 



