4 BULLETIIT 184, TJ. S. DEPAETMEWT OF AGPJCULTURE. 



The term "home project" applied to instruction in agriculture in- 

 cludes each of the following requisites: (1) There must be a plan 

 for work at home covering a season more or less extended. (2) It 

 must be a part of the instruction in agriculture of the school. (3) 

 There must be a problem more or less new to the pupil. (4) The 

 parents and pupil should agree with the teacher on the plan. (5) 

 Some competent person must supervise the work done at home. 

 (6) Detailed records of time, method, cost, and income must be 

 honestly kept. (T) A written report based upon the record must 

 be submitted to the teacher. This report may be in the form of a 

 booklet. The club project should be identical with the home project 

 from the school point of view. 



A potato project may take one of two different lines. It may be 

 a production project where the chief aim is to increase the produc- 

 tion per acre at the lowest cost; or it may be an improvement project 

 where the aim is to improve, by careful selection, the quality and 

 quantity of 9, variety of potatoes grown. The potatoes produced on 

 the first project will be placed on the general market for consump-, 

 tion, while the surplus crop produced on the second will, after selec- 

 tion, be sold to dealers or producers for seed potatoes. The first 

 type adapts itself the better to general conditions. 



Correlations. — Some suggestions have been made in connection 

 with each lesson, as to the use of this subject in vitalizing the 

 other subjects in the curriculum. These correlation suggestions are 

 not intended as a part of the lesson in which they appear, but should 

 be used with recitations in other subjects. The teacher should seize 

 every opportunity to link up the recitation with the life of the com- 

 munity and to give the instruction purpose and direction by con- 

 necting it with the problems of the home and farm. 



LESSON I. 



Suhject. — Selection of seed potatoes in the field. 



Prohlem. — To improve the potato crop year by year. To develop 

 a strain which will produce well and with uniformity under local 

 conditions. 



Sources of information. — Farmers' Bulletin 533; Department 

 Bulletins 17'6 and 195 ; bulletins and circulars from the State college 

 of agriculture. 



Illustrative material. — Four or five typical specimens of each 

 variety of potatoes grown in the community. Typical plants of each 

 variety. The entire yield of one good hill and of one poor hill, kept 

 separate for contrast. Specimens of unmarketable potatoes showing 

 defects. Pictures of ideal potatoes of tbe standard varieties should 



