vi PREFACE 



had covered much of the matter taken up in the following years. 

 Such duplication is discouraging to the student, and less real 

 progress is made in the instruction. 



This book, including the study of soils and plant husbandry, 

 offers a solution for this difficulty. 



The book has had its origin in the discussions and plans 

 formulated by the agricultural teachers of accredited high schools 

 in conferences beginning in 1914. These conferences for southern 

 states have been held and reports formulated in cooperation with 

 the United States Department of Agriculture. 



A decided effort has been made to get away from the one-year 

 plan for the starting of the high school course in agriculture. 

 There has also been a feeling that high school students should not 

 be required to purchase too many separate text-books for each 

 year of the high school course. 



The plan, somewhat modified, would be: 



High schools offering only one year of agriculture, should give 



A year of plant husbandry (with a view to adding a second year of animal husbandry 

 later). 



High schools offering two years of agriculture should give: First year: Plant Husbandry. 

 Second year: Animal Husbandry (including Poultry). 



High schools offering three years of agriculture should give: First year: Plant Hus- 

 bandry. Second year: Animal Husbandry (including Poultry). Third year: Farm Mechanics 

 and Engineering (half year). Farm Management and Accounting (half year). 



High schools offering four years of agriculture should give: First year: Plant Husbandry. 

 Second year: Animal Husbandry (including Poultry). Third year: Farm Mechanics and 

 Engineering (half year). Farm Management and Accounting (half year). Fourth year: 

 Dairying, or Poultry (half year). Feeds and Feeding, or Special Fruit Growing (half year). 

 Electives from the following may be substituted in the third year of three-year high 

 schools, and in the last two years of four-year high schools: % unit each of Fruit Growing, 

 Vegetable Gardening, or Improvement of Home Grounds; }/% unit each of Dairying, Animal 

 Husbandry (Feeding), or Field Crops; J unit each of Insects or Forestry. 



In the high school curriculum the science work to be taken 

 parallel with the agricultural course, should be of a practical 

 nature. The biology should include additional studies in eco- 

 nomic insects, birds, bacteria in relation to country life, and the 

 main types of plant diseases. Physics or chemistry, or perhaps 

 both of these sciences, can be given a strong practical trend. 



This plan may or may not be preceded by agricultural lessons 

 in the grades below the high school, but such an elementary course 

 covering the whole field in a very brief way, would be helpful, 

 and is recommended. Some Nature lessons in the grades may 

 also be given, and these should have a practical and perhaps an 

 agricultural trend. 



In some instances it may be found advisable to reduce the 



