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importance and value of the principal crops in the country, 

 plants are grown representing specifically the area in acres 

 devoted to common agricultural crops, and studies in geography, 

 &c, are correlated with these garden plantings. In addition, 

 common systems of crop rotations are illustrated. 



A Department of Agricultural Education has been estab- 

 lished at the Office of Experiment Stations, which records and 

 publishes text books and manuals on this subject, together 

 with notes and reports on the agricultural schools in the United 

 States and other countries. 



A circular on the teaching of agriculture in the rural common 

 schools was widely distributed, and also a leaflet giving a 

 list of the educational publications of the office. Upwards 

 of 200 a gricultural lantern slides were prepared by the 

 department and frequently used in lectures, both to school 

 teachers and children. 



Delegates from the office also attended the International Con- 

 gresses held at Liege in Belgium during the course of the year. 



At the 19th Annual Convention of the Association of 

 American Agricultural Colleges and Experiment Stations, held 

 at Washington, 1905, Professor K. C. Babcock read a paper in 

 which he emphasised the fact that comparatively little was 

 at that time being done to train agricultural teachers for small 

 towns and rural communities. He urged .that the land-grant 

 colleges should help the normal schools by offering short 

 courses for teachers, holding institutes, and sending out their 

 officers to give courses and lectures in normal schools. Dr. 

 A. C. True also laid stress on the same point, and suggested that 

 the colleges should get more into touch with school officers 

 and teachers. Elementary and secondary courses in agri- 

 culture and mechanic arts were, he said, required to attract 

 students to the land-grant colleges. 



One of the most important actions of the Convention in 1905 

 above referred to was the reorganisation of its standing 

 committee, which is in future to be split up into four sections : 

 (1) For dealing with instruction in agriculture ; (2) with graduate 

 study ; (3) with extension work ; (4) with experiment station 

 organisation and policy. The association also instructed 

 its executive committee to take steps to secure the establish- 

 ment of a Department of Rural and Agricultural Education 

 in the National Educational Association. 



