INSTRUCTION IN POULTRY HUSBANDRY 7 



The attitude of the teacher towards the subject, and the 

 inclusion of these branches, will do much towards insuring 

 the success of the work in the curriculum. 



Methods of Instruction. — Instruction in poultry husbandry- 

 should be divided into two groups: first, school work; second, 

 home work. Schoolroom work should consist of the study 

 of a complete elementary text-book, frequently supplemented 

 by lectures, the nimiber and nature of the lectures depending 

 on the experience of the teacher. The instructor should 

 begin to collect a library of poultry literature, text-books and 

 bulletins for reference. Readings should be assigned from 

 time to time, so that the student may acquire additional 

 information not contained in his text-book. Reference 

 reading enables the pupil to become acquainted with the 

 current publications, and teaches him how to find material 

 when he wants it. A. certain portion of each recitation can 

 profitably be spent in a general discussion of the results 

 obtained in the home work, as well as a review of the condi- 

 tions found on poultry farms that have been visited. These 

 will be found to materially increase the interest in the work, 

 and will call the pupil's attention to the practical side of 

 the study. 



Home work should be encouraged, and the student should 

 be requested to confer with the teacher as to the planning, 

 equipment, and development of his home plant. In ideal 

 home work each student should have a small pen of birds, 

 the care of which should entirely devolve upon himself. He 

 should be allowed to build a small poultry house and yard, 

 and to equip these in a thoroughly up-to-date manner. If 

 he has more than one pen, it may stimulate his interest to 

 let him do a little experimental work. This may consist 

 in a trial comparison between different birds, different 

 methods of housing, or any other project which will cultivate 

 his powers of observation. He should make practical appli- 

 cation of the instruction received in class, in so far as his 



