218 NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [11:5— May, 1915 



second places respectively in the examinations on the subject. 

 It is evident that Ryerson and the educational authorities planned 

 to have the instruction given in country schools include the sub- 

 ject of Agriculture. 



Moreover, two years before the establishment of the Normal 

 School, in 1845, a text book on Agriculture was pubHshed for use 

 in the schools of the Province. This was called The Canadian 

 Agricultural Reader, and the title page reads : 



THE 



CANADIAN 



AGRICULTURAL READER 



designed principally 

 For the Use of Schools. 



Compiled from the most Approved 



and 



Practical Authors 



by a Vice-President 



of the 



Niagara District Agricultural Society 



and 



Township Superintendent of Common Schools. 



Published by the Proprietors. 



Niagara. 



Printed by John Simpson. 



1845. 



In the preface to the book the author has this to say: ''When 

 the Spartan King was asked what things he thought most proper 

 for boys to learn, his answer was 'Those things they expect to do 

 when men'. 



The principle involved in that wise answer has called forth this 

 little work. The compiler has seen the youth of this country — 

 seven-eighths of whom become in the course of time engaged in the 

 noblest of mere earthly employments, the cultivation of the soil — 

 pass through our schools without receiving the slightest instruction 

 in that profession to which they hope to devote the remainder of 

 their days." 



It will thus be seen that seventy years ago the problem of having 

 the rural school better serve the needs of rural life was recognized 

 and an attempt made to remedy the defect. How far this book 

 came unto use in the schools, the writer is unable to state. 



