4 BULLETIN 592, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
USE OF REFERENCE MATERIAL. 
Although it is left with the teacher and the local school authori- 
ties as to whether a textbook is used or not, it is hoped that the out- 
lines, with the references given, will aid the teacher in getting away 
from the limitations of any one textbook. A list of books suitable 
for reference purposes is given at the end of each course. By a 
judicious selection of reference material and the making of special 
assignments to individual students, the teacher may do much toward 
adapting the subject to the needs of the community and the members 
of the class. Special reference to bulletins of the United States 
Department of Agriculture are given with nearly every lesson. In 
order to meet local needs, the publications of the States should be 
used in addition to department publications. It is especially im- 
portant that the teacher get in touch with the agricultural college, 
experiment stations, and board of agriculture of the State in which the 
school is located and learn what material suitable for use in the school 
may be available. Files of these publications should be kept in 
working order along with the Yearbooks and the Farmers' Bulle- 
tins 1 of the Department of Agriculture. 
USE OF ILLUSTRATIVE MATERIAL. 
It is important that concrete material shall be brought into the 
classroom and that well-organized field trips shall be taken when 
convenient. In addition to such study, abundant use should be made 
of pictures, charts, lantern slides, etc., to visualize the lesson in an 
effective manner. Suggestions for illustrative material are given 
in connection with many of the lessons. The instructor should make 
preparations early for all illustrative material needed. 2 
PRACTICAL WORK. 
In the preparation of the outlines, it has been assumed that 
there will be in the school year 36 weeks of 5 days each. For 
each year 104 lessons are planned which provide for classroom 
work three days in the week, leaving four periods for examinations 
or reviews. The remainder of the time, equal to two periods per 
day, two days in the week, should be given to practicums and proj- 
i Farmers' Bulletin and Yearbooks of the United States Department of Agriculture may be obtained 
free as long as the supply lasts, on application to the Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D. C, or to a 
Senator or Representative in Congress. These and other publications of the Department of Agriculture, 
when no longer available for free distribution, may be obtained from the Superintendent of Documents, 
Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C, at a nominal price. Price lists covering various Govern- 
ment publications may be obtained free from the Superintendent of Documents. Each teacher should 
secure a copy of Price List No. 16, which includes Farmers' Bulletins, Yearbooks, and Department Bulle" 
tins of the United States Department of Agriculture. Lists of these publications prepared for teachers 
may be obtained from the Agricultural Instruction division of the States Relations Service. 
2 See the following Farmers' Bulletins: 586, Collection and Preservation of Plant Material for Use in the 
Study of Agriculture; 606, Collection and Preservation of Insects and Other Material for Use in the Study 
of Agriculture. 
