FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
191 
matter, describing wonderful occurrence^ 
beautiful processes, and surprising re¬ 
sults,—all inculcating truths, that will 
be of value in succeeding years, can be 
given them; equally as interesting and ex¬ 
citing to their imaginations, making last¬ 
ing impressions on their plastic minds. 
Truths told in simple language, free from 
scientific jargon, comprehensible to the 
youthful mind, or to the ordinary adult, 
who has had no scientific training, of 
which the mass of our people are com¬ 
posed. 
Among scientific literature, written in 
plain, simple language, that should be 
found in every schoolroom, and read by 
every teacher, or pupil of our common 
schools, is the little monthlv publication 
of our State Board of Health, called 
Health Notes. It deals with common 
things, common diseases, their cause and 
effects in such simple, though forceful 
language, as can be readily understood by 
any one, child or adult, who can read. 
As a pattern for a child’s or adult’s pri¬ 
mary, scientific, text-book, it is com¬ 
mendable, and should be found in every 
household in the State. 
I am pleased to say that this subject 
is now attracting the attention of school 
officers and educators everywhere. 
I note our next summer schools for 
teachers, will have the benefit of twelve 
lectures on agricultural subjects, by such 
men as, Dr. Sledd, Prof. Rolfs, Prof. 
Floyd and Prof. Fawcett, of the Univer¬ 
sity of Florida, and the Florida Experi¬ 
ment Station. Lectures that will doubt¬ 
less go far towards instructing the teach¬ 
ers of the State, as to the importance of 
acquiring a knowledge of the rudimentary 
principles of agriculture, that they may 
be better fitted to successfully prepare 
the children of the State for a broader 
view and more comprehensive knowledge 
of their future callings; that they may be 
able to dignify the farmer's profession, 
by teaching that it is truly a science, as 
well as an art, requiring more knowledge 
of all the sciences, than does that of any 
of the learned professions, to master its 
details, and successfully practice it. 
I believe the place to begin the teaching 
of agriculture is in the common school, 
just where we begin the teaching of liter¬ 
ature, and the science of numbers and 
language. That the farm, the school, 
the experiment station, and agricultural 
college, should be linked together, and 
properly co-ordinated; that we should be¬ 
gin at the foundation,—the child,—and 
build upward toward the complete edifice, 
the college, and not from the college 
downward. 
