EXPLANATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS xiii 



ditional references should be included. Liberal open spacing has 

 been allowed for supplementary questions, references, and notes 

 of local importance. 



Principles as well as practice. — In following the project method 

 of teaching, it is exceedingly important to acquire a thorough under- 

 standing of the principles involved, as well as the practice essential 

 to success. A knowledge of principles is the greatest aid in the 

 proper performance of every operation. There is almost no limit 

 to which the instructor and gardener may not go in the studying of 

 principles. We should have as complete knowledge as possible of 

 the related sciences of botany, chemistry, physics, and bacteriology, 

 as they apply to the practice of vegetable gardening. Instructors 

 should give special attention to this phase of project teaching. 



Accounts. — All projects should be handled as business proposi- 

 tions; careful accounts should be kept of all transactions. The 

 gardener should know at the end of the season the exact costs for 

 fertilizer, seeds, supplies of all kinds; and also the cost of labor, 

 placing a value on his own time, and the cost of marketing. He 

 will then be able to determine the profits realized on the projects. 

 As a student he will thus gain valuable training and experience in 

 bookkeeping and in interpretation of farming figures. 



Records. — A complete record should be kept of all operations. 

 From the teaching standpoint alone, too much emphasis cannot be 

 placed on the importance of detailed records. If further vegetable 

 gardening is attempted any time in the future, the records will be 

 found to be of great value. Photographic records of the accom- 

 plishments are of special interest. 



Reports. — Pupils should make written reports of their work 

 from time to time, and upon the completion of each project a com- 

 plete report on the year's work should be filed in the school library. 



Laboratory exercises. — Instructors will find it necessary to 

 conduct certain laboratory exercises, in addition to the regu- 

 lar project work. These may be soil studies, germination tests. 



