INTRODUCTION 



Practical farmers often wonder what the schools can teach 

 in the way of agriculture. Those of us who advocate agri- 

 culture as a school subject have been trying to answer this 

 question for both the farmer and the educator. Some phases 

 of the question are quite clear to progressive farmers as well 

 as to teachers. 



We do not propose to teach farmers how to "run their 

 own business," but we do propose to teach both young and 

 old farmers facts and principles which they can profitably 

 use in their business. 



It concerns us all, whatever our vocation and station in 

 life may be, whether farming be done efficiently or not. It 

 is no longer merely an individual matter as to whether Farmer 

 X runs his own farm efficiently or not ; it is a question also 

 of public welfare. But the farmer in serving the larger 

 interest also insures his private welfare. 



It is an educational-economical proposition, that only those 

 who know and care should be entrusted with the natural 

 resources upon the wise use and conservation of which rest 

 the prosperity and permanency of our nation. Many genera- 

 tions of farmers of the past have learned how to prosper 

 and grow rich from the virgin resources of the land. They 

 learned and practiced the art of farming for these purposes 



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