10 BULLETIN 653, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



USE OF TEXTS AND REFERENCES. 



It should be obvious that if the lessons are to be adapted to both 

 the students and community, a textbook can not be followed slav- 

 ishly. In making adaptations, State publications and the- bulle- 

 tins of this department may be used to advantage. The teacher 

 will find the recent editions of books devoted entirely to corn helpful 

 for his personal use and for students who may be assigned special 

 topics. Students having an interest in special phases of corn pro- 

 duction, such as the production of pop corn, sweet corn, or corn for 

 silage, may be assigned these subjects as special topics for written 

 reports to the teacher or oral reports to the class. Topics such as 

 the history of corn, methods of marketing, and the manufacture of 

 corn products, which the entire class may not have time to study ex- 

 tensively, may be assigned also as special topics. 



USE OF ILLUSTRATIVE MATERIAL. 



In the field: — In many respects the best place to study corn is in 

 the cornfield. Opportunity should be sought to observe the growing 

 of the plant under natural conditions. Field trips may be planned 

 in the spring to study methods of soil preparation and planting. 

 The class should become familiar with the working of modern plant- 

 ing machinery. In the fall trips may be made to study the working 

 of harvesting machines. Although growth has stopped at this sea- 

 son, it is a good time to study the effects of different methods of 

 planting and culture. Each trip should be planned with a definite 

 aim and each student should be required to take notes and make a 

 written report. Students should be given every encouragement to 

 make individual observations in the field and to report such studies 

 t" the teacher or to the class. As the growth of corn takes, place 

 mostly during the time of summer vacation, special inducement 

 should be made to get students to study corn and methods of culti- 

 vation at this time, even though they may not have a corn proj- 

 ect. Students should be required in the class recitation and in 

 written paper- to report methods used on the home farm. 



In the classroom. — It is often more convenient to bring material 

 into the classroom than to stud} 7 it in the field. The school should 

 be provided with an abundance of concrete material and have a 

 place to keep it safe from mice and other pests. Specimens should 

 be available to -how the different types of corn and the leading 

 varieties winch are suitable to the district. Sample ears showing 

 corn of different degree- toward perfection should be available for 

 judging purposes. 



Such material may be supplemented with good illustrations show- 

 ing the growth of the plant as well as types and varieties. Draw- 

 ings and diagrams may he made upon the blackboard to assist the 

 students in visualizing the lesson. A chart similar to the one show- 



