UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE E X P E R I M E N T ST AT I O N BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA E. J. WlCKSON, Director CIRCULAR No. 4 7 NOVEMBER, 1909 Agriculture in the High Schools By Leroy Anderson LINOTYPING AND PRINTING BY BOYS OF THE STATE SCHOOL, WHITTIER, CALIFORNIA Agriculture in the High Schools BY LEROY ANDERSON SO DEEP an interest is manifested in many sections of the State in teaching agriculture in the public schools, and inquiries regarding it are so frequent in the correspondence of the College of Agriculture, that it has seemed wise to issue a general circular covering the more important points of the sub- ject. It is the purpose of this circular to touch only upon agriculture for the High Schools, and this publication may be considered but little more than a preliminary report which will be followed by more complete information as the subject undergoes its natural evolution. A general circular upon agriculture in the primary and grammar schools is not contemplated at present, but sugges- tive helps for teachers in these schools are now in preparation. The successful teaching of agriculture in secondary schools is no longer in doubt. Examples of such leaching may be found in several states where sepa- rate schools have been established for this particular purpose as county or dis- trict or state agriculture schools. Two notable instances in our own state of secondary courses in agriculture in state institutions will be mentioned in detail later. The success of these special schools is due to the timeliness and vitality of the subjects taught and to securing instructors who are especially fitted for agricultural teaching, usually graduates of agricultural colleges. The first elements of success are not lacking in any rural community ; for the sciences re- lacing to agriculture and all topics of pure agriculture are full of interest and of daily importance, and young people are hungry for instruction in them. The second element of success is not always readily obtained because of the de- mand for agricultural graduates in commercial enterprises. In these days when so much is said and written about industrial education it is helpful to consider agriculture as belonging to this large and growing de- partment of teaching endeavor. The fact that a large percentage of our popu- lation is engaged in agriculture of one sort or another makes it a subject worthy to be taken into the school room in as dignified and thorough a manner as is any scientific or technical subject. Mechanical trades or industries are provided for in the city schools in public, as well as in private institutions, and afford an argument for placing the foundation industry, agriculture, in rural schools. The high school located in a rural community, or drawing largely upon the farming population for its pupils, needs no further reason for adding agri- culture to its curriculm than that it is thereby more closely fitting its environ- ment. When we consider the matter seriously, it seems incongruous that a high school in a small town, surrounded by a rich agricultural territory, should be devoting all its money and energy to instruction in language, history, mathematics and a little of science with not a word or thought of the industry which gives the place its being, and with no correlation between the subjects taught and the live, throbbing heart of the whole community — its agriculture. It is a pleasure to record that one by one the high schools of California* either through their faculties or their patrons, are endeavoring to better fit themselves to more adequately serve the community by adding agriculture in some of its branches, at least, to the course of study. SOME AWAKENING COMMUNITIES The advanced step taken by the University in adding agricultural sub- jects to the list of entrance credits from high schools has given a great impetus to agricultural teaching throughout the state. At least three high schools have introduced it as a definite study under a few of its many divisions and a half dozen or so have introduced it as correlated or applied science without presenting it as a separate course. We are fortunate in being able to quote from correspondence from several teachers in each of the two prevailing meth- ods of attacking the subject and we will permit their statements to convey to the reader the methods and results of its introduction. At the Oxnard Union High School Mr. W. G. Hummel, a graduate of the University of Illinois College of Agriculture of some three or four years since, was this year engaged to teach agriculture. Under date of October 30th he writes: "Neither agriculture or botany has ever been given in the school before this year, so we are obliged to start our work quite from the beginning. Dur- ing the present year I am teaching courses in botany, physical geography, and agronomy. I have worked out courses for the second, third, and fourth year agricultural work very carefully, but of course cannot use them during the present year. In the agronomy course given this year we are now making a preliminery study of plant physiology, composition, and structure, which will be followed by plant propogation work ; the study of plant heredity and im- provement, and plant environment. A greenhouse has just been completed, for use in the agricultural work of the school, and four acres of land have been purchased, for individual student gardens and experimental plots." Mr. D. N. Morgan of the class or 1 909, University of California Col- lege of Agriculture, was called to introduce agriculture in the Imperial County Union High School. He describes his beginnings fully in a letter to Professor Babcock, from which we are privileged to give some interesting extracts: "The high school work has far exceeded my expectations. Twelve are enrolled in botany and plant propagation, six in the dairy course and six in the course in livestock. I also have the entire entering class in Physical Geog- raphy. The botany class is using Bailey's First Lessons in Biology; along with it I am working in topics of general interest such as seed selection and ger- mination, tests of alfalfa, that is being actually planted, so that the results of our work can be shown in the crop itself. "Under the head of livestock I am giving the class lectures; one day a week we devote two periods to actual work with the horses. As a large num- ber of the pupils drive to school, we have plenty of material to illustrate nearly every variety of unsoundness, also to study anatomy, and types of horses. Cattle, hogs, sheep and goats will follow. The Dairymen's Union has asked if I would be prepared to make tuberculin tests, also if I would address them on the subject at one of their meetings. Needless to say I agreed. The course in dairying is working out well. "For the physical geography work we have a splendid equipment of in- struments worth five hundred dollars. I have emphasized the value of maxi* mum and minimum temperatures over the mean and the pupils are now taking daily observations and keeping records. An excellent transit is also part of our equipment. Observations on the sun were the order of the day at the time of the equinox. "In regard to the field work the people of Imperial have offered me ten acres of land to do with as seems best. The people of the community are much interested in our work and have offered their places for experimental work. The board of trustees have agreed to build an agricultural building next year to cost at least ten thousand dollars. They have supplied all the books I requested." The Kern County High School engaged Mr. H. F. Tout of the class of 1 906 of the California Polytechnic School to teach agriculture and manual training. The principal, Mr. Macomber, writes us on September 1 9th as follows: "We are handicapped in starting the work this year because of the lack of pupils who have Chemistry and Botany. It so happens that almost without exception the boys of our Junior and Senior classes are expecting to go to the University and so are turning their attention to the admission requirements. We are introducing the elementary course in the Sophomore year and are plan- ning to cover about the ground outlined in Voorhees' First Principles of Agri- culture. We have enough land for experimental work this year and the ne- cessary equipment for it. "We have introduced, with the entering class this year, an entirely new scheme of work which will give a proper place to Agriculture. In this course we will give them the Elementary Physical Geography, Botany and Chemis- try in the first two years, with work in Horticulture, Soils, Plant Propagation and Plant Diseases in the third and fourth years. This is all we have mapped out so far, as it will be some little time before we will have many pupils ready to go into the work. "While it seems that we have tried to work out every detail in the third and fourth years of this new course, we have done it only to see what we might do. We are concerned at present only with the first and second years. Our Freshmen enrollment this week divided twenty-five to the Academic course and fifty to the Industrial, a proportion which pleases me very much." So far as we know the above are the only California high schools which have men technically trained in agricultural schools teaching agriculture and each of these began this year. The Hanford High School expects to begin the study of the subject in January for students in the fourth year who have had adequate preparation in natural sciences. Some high schools began agriculture as correlated science in 1 908-9 and among them the one in Gardena, Los Angeles county, Mr. F. H. Bolster writes of his experience under date of Oc- tober 9, 1909, as follows: "At present General Science and Botany are directly correlated with agriculture. The principal aims to correlate Chemistry somewhat with agricul- ture but only in a general way "I am doing my best work in General Science and trying to make Bot- any, which I like better, a close second. I began with a study of the earthworm and vegetable mold. I wanted to take up an insect next but instead began some simple experiments in Chemistry, studying the elements neccessary for the growth of plants. These experiments are simplified to the last degree. For example, each one made oxygen from potassium chlorate mixed with sand in a penny thimble to which they attached a handle of baling wire. I have a class that is thoroughly interested. After the oxygen experiment they managed to spill the material I gave out and then gathered it up and went down to the black- smith shop and continued the experiment by themselves. I make a good deal of the application to the experiment, aiming to make it thoroughly practical yet trying not to be too deep for the first year pupils. I require a well kept note book and hold them in written tests for everything I give them or that comes out in class. "My methods in Botany are very much the same as in General Science except that I do not make it quite so elementary. I use Osterhout's Experi- ments and Bergen's Elements. "In both I require garden work and try to make a lesson out of every- thing that comes up. In Botany I began with the end rot of tomatoes simply because we had a lot of vines in last year's gardens that were suffering from the disease. Of course we could not study the fungus itself to begin with, but we tried six different ways of curing the disease with the result that we found some things that helped. We will begin to raise trees soon. I have in my requisition for seeds and my plans made for lath house which will be built soon. The bonds are all sold and we will soon have the twenty thousand dollars for the developing of the school." The following plan briefly outlined by Mr. F. T. Bell, teacher of sci- ence at the Siskiyou County High School at Yreka, indicates a line of work which may be followed by the teacher of chemistry during the third or fourth year of the high school course: "The course will take up principally, the analysis of soils, the practical growing of profitable crops on a soil of given constituents; the rational feed- ing of stock and men from the standpoint of efficiency and rations; the causes and prevention of disease among common stock; and the natural and artificial fertilization and reproduction of the ordinary and desirable farm vegetable pro- ducts; all to be approached from the basis of abstract chemistry, botany and bacteriology." Mr. T. J. Penfield of the Vacaville Union High School has found a way of using the garden as the basis of agricultural teaching with the text book only as reference. He says in a letter on October 1 8th: "We are starting a course in Gardening in this school this year and would be glad for any help we can get toward making it interesting and valu- able. So far the interest of the class has been most gratifying. We are using Warren's Elements of Agriculture as a text — mainly for reference. I find that the line of interest is in experiment — to make the work a recitation from a text would kill the interest. The five boys who compose the class are keen to try experiments and quickly grasp the purpose and underlying principle. Our last experiment is a germination test for corn. The boys are keenly in- terested in this. This is the line we must follow for classroom work. As soon as the season peimits we shall, of course, undertake actual growing of plants. I feel that this simple beginning promises to make one of the biggest things in the school for live education." Other high schools which are following the applied science method are Hollywood and Glendale in Los Angeles county, Ventura and Santa Cruz. A private school known as the Imperial Valley Collegiate Institute was opened at Heber in the fall of 1 908 with the plan to make agriculture a prominent 7 feature of its instruction. It is now of secondary grade but hopes eventually to gain college standing. The writer would be glad to hear from any California high schools not here mentioned that may be teaching agriculture in any way. Descriptions of methods of teaching, outlines, photographs of classes at work or any other material will be welcomed and used for helping along the cause of agricultural education. AGRICULTURE A T THE CALIFORNIA POLYTECHNIC SCHOOL, SAN LUIS OBISPO This school opened for instruction in September, 1903, as a secondary school to teach agriculture, mechanics and household arts. The course of study is three years in length, and during five years of trial each course has been worked down to a firm and substantial basis. The equipment for teaching ag- riculture is so excellent ; the course of study so typical of what it should be in a secondary school where agriculture is the chief aim, and it has been so fruitful in developing strong young men that it is here given in full in the hope that it may be of assistance to those who may be seeking guidance in forming agricultural courses. The mathematics is in every way similar to that given in a high school, except that a more practical bearing than usual may be given to the third year. English for the first two years is similar to a like period in the high school, while the history is American only. Chemistry in the second year is the general course and special agricultural chemistry is reserved for the third year, when agricultural students are in a class separate from those in other courses. Physics is given with a strong practical bearing and emphas.s is placed upon electricity, steam and gasoline as motive powers, and practice given in running and handling engines of the different kinds. The course of study follows : The first, second, and third terms of the school year are indicated by a, b, and c, respectively. Each school day is di- vided into eight 45 -minute periods. The number of periods per week each sub- ject is taken is indicated by figures. When the periods are the same For three terms, the number is given but once. AGRICULTURE First Year. Arithmetic, b3, c3. Carpentry and Forge Work, 8. Botany and Plant Propagation, 8. English, 5. Poultry, &3, c3. Freehand Drawing and Farm Build- Algebra, 5. ings, a5, b4, c4. Soils and Fertilizers, 5. Second Year. Horticulture, b\ 1, c7 . English, 5. Dairying, hi , c6. Chemistry, 8. Mathematics II, 5. Drawing, al . Animal Husbandry, all, c4. Third Year. Irrigation and Surveying, 4. Physics, 7. Agricultural Chemistry, 5. Animal Physiology, 3. Animal Husbandry, 3. Mathematics III, 5. History and Civics, 5. In May, 1909, the Board of Trustees voted to add a fourth year for stu- dents entering in September, 1 909. The details of the additional work have not been announced. UNIVERSITY FARM SCHOOL, DAVIS Instruction in agriculture of high school grade began at the University Farm at Davis in January, 1 909. Students are admitted at fifteen years of age from the grammar school and given a course of three yeais of about eight months each. The major portion of the course is devoted to strictly agricul- tural subjects or the sciences related directly thereto, but substantial courses in English, history and mathematics are also given. The detailed course of study is as follows: First Year. First term, Second term, 1 3 weeks. 18 weeks Hoi irs per week. Hours per week Botany and Plant Propagation Livestock Judging. Agriculture Entomology Poultry Farm Practice Arithmetic and Algebra English 8 is' 6 ■ y • 3 3 8 4 4 5 3 3 3 Second Year Chemistry Horticulture and Viticulture Animal Industry Dairy Industry Farm Accounts Mathematics English 8 6 10 ' 3 3 8 6 "8* 2 3 3 Third Year Soil Fertility and Farm Crops Farm Mechanics Irrigation 6 6 4 6 6 4 Animal Physiology and Animal Industry 4 4 Elective 4 4 Mathematics 3 3 History and Civics 3 3 BEGINNING AGRICULTURE IN THE HIGH SCHOOL The intioduction of agriculture is not so difficult as maybe at first suppos- ed by the uninitiated. The subject is a big one to be sure, but it need not be at- tacked all at once at all points. It is better to make a small beginning and that at the places which seem easiest and most familiar to the individual teacher. Agriculture, while not a science itself, includes within its scope all of the sciences commonly taught in the public schools. The science teacher, therefore, is eminently fitted to begin agricultural teaching whether trained in an agricul- tural college or not, although such a training is the logical preparation. The modern method of giving a course in general science during the first year or two of the high school affords a means of doing some substantial agri- cultural teaching without any shock to the old time feelings and dignity ; for agriculture is a subject around which may be grouped all of the sciences essen- tial in such a course. Botany, physiography, chemistry, physics, zoology, en- tomology, and physiology are all taught at present and each one has an impor- tant bearing in an agricultural education. Take for example a pot of soil: It is made from rock which was weathered and decomposed in the process — a point which is one of the first to be taught in physiography. It is composed of ele- ments each having a relation one with the other and with its fertility — here comes chemistry. Water moves in it by gravity or by capillarity — relations studied in physics. Plant a seed in it and watch its growth — botany. Lar- vae of insects may be found in it — entomology. The live teacher has only to make a few trials in bringing agriculture into the school room to be convinced of its value and its absorbing interest to the student. Two subjects, fundamental in all well-organized courses in agriculture, are soils and botany. The former does not exist as a recognized high school study but may be readily correlated with physical geography, or physiography, which is the regular first year science. The correlation can be made so readily as not to interfere with University entrance requirements. Mr. R. S. Holway, assistant professor of Physical Geography in the University of California, has expressed his desire that the subject may be given a greater agricultural bear- ing, and teachers will find it helpful to correspond with him in regard to this correlation of the subjects. Botany is so thoroughly established as a science subject, usually given in the second year, that nothing more can be desired than to give it a more practical bearing and to lean its laboratory and garden work toward agriculture. We have thus the first two years o f high school provided with agricultur- al studies, and have not made a radical change in the course, nor interfered with college entrance credits; a point that is manifestly advisable in the pres- ent constitution of the school system. Every boy and girl in the school would be broadened in useful every day information and in general culture by taking both subjects. The third and fourth years may be reserved for the more technical agricultural branches and for those which may be correlated Avith chemistry, physics and economics. These may be made elective and 10 more agriculture taken by students whc desire to engage in farming as soon as the high school course is finished. It is hoped further that some of the third and fourth year subjects may be taught in such a manner as to permit of their being offered as electives for University entrance among the group of one-third elective which is now permitted by the University. The amount of time to be devoted to agriculture will depend upon the ability and experience of the teacher, the degree to which the teacher feels that present high school studies may be curtailed, or some omitted, and the demand for technical agriculture in the elective years. The field and garden work should be made a part of the regular school period, so that the pupil will not consider it extra work. In the first two years this may easily, how- ever, be added to the present school day, because it has so much of physical exercise as to make it no hardship to remain until four o'clock instead of being dismissed at three. The longer periods required in the third and fourth years for field observations and excursions will work themselves out by a little ex- perience in each school. Briefly stated the work in agriculture suggested is as follows: First year — Soils with Physiography, or General Science. Second year — Botany and Plant Propagation. Third year — Horticulture, Forestry, Field and Forage Crops and Dairying. Fourth year — Animal Husbandry, Agricultural Chemistry and Phy- sics, Farm Mechanics and Farm Management. It is not within the scope of this circular to give in detail the methods of presenting the various agricultural subjects. To do this would require several volumes. Many bulletins and circulars for free distribution and many books have been issued as teachers' helps and texts for secondary and elementary ag- riculture. A partial list of these is given on the last page of the circular and teachers are recommended to examine the list carefully. The writer will gladly enter into correspondence with teachers and others interested concerning the in- troduction of agriculture, text books and any other phase of the subject that may arise. UNIVERSITY CREDIT FOR HIGH SCHOOL AGRICULTURE The faculty of the University of California added on April 9, 1909, three subjects fo the list of elective entrance credits that may be offered by high school graduates, bearing directly upon agriculture. One is a course in Gen- eral Science for first year work and the other two, Horticulture and Dairying, to be taken in the third and fourth yea rs ; the full text as adopted by the fac- ulty is here given. 12g. General Science. [3 units.] This subject should be taken during the first year of the high school course. The aim of the work should be to develop answers to the questions which arise in the pupil's daily experience with natural phenomena, and to fa- miliarize the pupil with the fundamental principles underlying these phenomena. The subject should be treated from the point of view of natural science in gen- eral, rather than from the points of view of the several subdivisions thereof. Constant labratory and field work is essential. As a rule, the pupil should perform his own experiments, and, wherever possible, these experiments should De so simplified that they may be repeated at home. // The course should deal with such elementary scientific principles as are involved in gardening, including a study of soil and elementary physiography ; household operations ; sanitation ; simple machinery, including the steam engine ; the weather; the changes of seasons, and similar natural phenomena. 19a. Dairying. \_V/ 2 units.] Credit will be given only when accompan^d by credit for subject I 2b (chemistry). The time required for subject I 9a is the equivalent of five ex- ercises a week for one half-year. The work must be taken during the last two years of the high school course. The study should embrace the composition of milk, the Babcock test for fat and adulterations, the separation of cream from milk, cream ripening,churn- ing, washing, working and packing butter, and the principles of cheese-mak- ing. Especial attention should be paid to the sanitary production and handling of milk from the cow to the consumer. At least 1 -3 of the excercises should be laboratory or field work. The laboratory work should consist in a thorough drill in the use of the Babcock milk test and in detecting adulterations by using the same test and the lactometer; in a study of the effect of pasteurization, sterilization and bacterial action upon the keeping qualities of milk; and in the preliminary operations of cheese-making by a study of the use of rennet, pure culture starters, etc. All of this laboratory work can be done with very small quantities of milk in the chemical laboratory. For the actual making of butter and cheese visit and inspect neighboring creameries and cheese factories. The ground to be covered is represented in Wing's "Milk and its Products," and Farrington and Woll's "Testing Milk and Milk Products." 19b. Horticulture. iV/ 2 units.] Credit will be given only if accompanied by credit for Subject 1 2c (botany). Subject 1 9b must be undertaken during the third or fourth year of the high school course, following the course in botany. The requirement re- presents the equivalent of five exerises a week during a half-year. The study includes the fruits and vines of California, and especially of the individual pupil's home region, as to varieties, methods of growth, cultiva- tion, and marketing. At least one-third of the exercises should be laboratory or field work, covering propagation by the different methods of budding, grafting and layering; examination of insects and of fungus diseases; mix- ing sprays and spraying; pruning and treating wounds; planting, cultivating and irrigating trees and vines, gathering and packing fruit; decorating home and school grounds with shrubs, trees, vines and flowers. Part of the field work can be done at school, and part in neighboring orchards, vineyards, and packing houses. The scope and method of the work is indicated in chapters IX to XIII of Jackson and Daugherty's "Agriculture through the Laboratory and School Garden," and in Wickson's "California Fruits." OUTLINE FOR HIGH SCHOOL AGRICULTURE. In order that the important parts of an agricultural course may be more definitely placed before the eye of the teacher, the following outline is pre- sented. It is intended to be suggestive rather than complete, especially in subjects like botany, which has been so long taught and is so well or- ganized. In this particular subject, the writer has not attempted an outline further than to copy the very suggestive one given under the head of Oster- hout's "Experiments With Plants," to whom acknowledgement is here made. 12 Purely agricultural topics have been amplified to a greater extent for the reason that the majority of teachers are unfamiliar with them. It is believed that grammar school teachers may find something of value and encouragement herein when teaching agriculture to their pupils. For direct assistance in field work in botany and soils consult Circular No. 46 of this Station on School Gardens by Professor E. B. Babcock. HIGH SCHOOL AGRICULTURE. First Year. /.•SOILS. A — Origin and formation. /. Physical and chemical agencies. 2. Plant and animal life. B — Kinds, classification. /. According to source. 2. Physical — gravel, sand, loam, silt, clay. 3. Properties — light, heavy, porous, imperious. C — Chemical composition. /. Statement of common elements and compounds present. 2. Illustrate as carbon, sulphur, potassium, iron, lime, marble, granite. D — Physical properties. /. Weight, color, odor, taste. 2. Size form and arrangement of particles. 3. Relation to water, heat and cold. E — Water of soils. /. Hydrostatic or ground water. 2. Capillary water. 3. Hygroscopic, or water in air dry soil. 4. Loss of soil water by (a) Percolation. . (b) Evaporation. (c) Transpiration. 5. Conserve or save water in soil by (a) Mulching — with straw, leaves, etc. (b) Cultivation— -making a soil mulch. F — Irrigation. /. Object — to apply water to the soil. 2. Methods (a) Surface sprinkling, as on lawn. (b) Flooding, as in checks on alfalfa. (c) Furrow deep, as in orchards and shallow as some- times on alfalfa. G — Drainage. / Object — to remove surplus water from soil. 2 Methods (a) Surface or open ditches. (b) Underground, as by tiling. 13 H— Tillage. /. Improves texture of soil. 2. Conserves moisture. 3. Increases water holding power. 4. Promotes nitrification. 5. Airs and warms the soil. I — Enrichment. /. Essential fertilizing constituents. Nitrogen, potash, phosphoric acid, lime. 2. Commercial fertilizers. 3. Farm manures, green manures. 4. Rotation of crops. J — Field Work — The School Garden. /. Growing vegetables and flowers. 2. Cultivation, irrigation and fertilization. 3. Study movements of water in soil, soil temperature and texture. 4. Window Gardening. Second Year. I. BOTANY. A — Class and laboratory study. /. The awakening of the seed. 2. Getting established. 3. The work of the roots. 4. The work of the leaves. 5. The work of the stems. 6. The work of the flowers. 7. The work of the fruits. 8. How plants are influenced by their surroundings. 9. Plants which cause decay and fermentation and disease. 10. Making new kinds of plants. B — Field Work (in school and home gardens). /. Propagation of plants. (a) By seeds — seed testing. (b) By soft cuttings. (c) By hardwood cuttings. (d) By budding, grafting, layering. (e) Potting plants. 2. Gardening. (a) The home vegetable garden. (b) Flowers and other oramentals. (c) Growing farm crops from selected seed. Third Year. I. Horticulture and Viticulture. A — Study fruits and vines of California and home region. / . Varieties. 2. Methods of growth, propagation, pruning, irrigation and cultivation. 3. Crops, — harvesting, marketing. 14 4. Insect enemies, — study of chief classes of insects, and the methods of combatting them. 5. Diseases — bacteria and other causes of disease and meth- ods of prevention and control. 6. Birds in their economic relation to fruit grower and farmer. B — Field work (in neighboring orchards and vineyards). /. Pruning and treating wounds. 2. Review of budding, grafting, etc. 3. Examination of insects and fungus diseases. 4. Mixing sprays and spraying. 5. Cultivation and irrigation. 6. Gathering and preparing fruit for market. //. Forestry and Ornamenting School and Home Grounds. ///. Field and Forage Crops. A — Cereals (other groups may be classified also). Wheat, Indian corn, oats, barley, rye, rice, sorghum, buck- wheat. B — Grasses, legumes, vegetables, tubers, roots, sugar, oil and fiber plants. C — Field work (in school and home gardens). /. Growing legumes, such as alfalfa, peas, beans, etc. 2. Improving cereals and other crops by seed selection. IV. DAIRYING. A— Milk. / . Composition. 2. Study of each constituent in composition; fat, casein, al- bumin, sugar, ash. B — Babcock test for fat in milk, cream, butter and cheese. Purchase small tester if possible. Specific gravity test with lactometer. C — Production and care of milk. /. Cleanliness of stable, cows, vessels, and attendants. 2. Milking, straining, aerating, cooling. 3. Bacteria as cause of souring and other changes and flavors. 4. Odors and flavors not caused by bacteria. 5. Preventing and controlling fermentations. 6. Diseases that may be carried by milk. D — Milk and cream for home use, quality of, methods of marketing. E — Separation of cream from milk. /. Gravity in pans. 2. Centrifugal separator. 3. The farm separator and its use. F — Butter making. /. In the home. 2. In the nearby creamery. 3. From cream shipped to city. 4. Ripening cream — flavors. 5. Kinds of churns. 6. Coloring, washing, salting, working, packing, marketing. G — Cheese making. 15 /. California and Eastern methods. 2. Other and fancy varieties. H — Condensed milk. I. Field work. /. Visit creameries or cheese factories in neighborhood. 2. Have small Babcock test in school, and pupils bring sam- ples of milk from home. 3. Visit dairies to study cleanliness. Fourth Year I. ANIMAL HUSBANDRY. A — Study of breeds. /. Horses. (a) Draft, coach, trotting, roadsters, running, ponies, mules. 2. Cattle. (a) Beef, — Shorthorn, Hereford, Angus, Galloway, etc. (b) Dairy, — Holstein, Jersey, Guernsey, Aryshire. 3. Sheep. (a) Mutton, — Shropshire, Southdown, Dorset, Lincoln. (b) Wool, — Merino, Rambouillet. 4. Swine. (a) Black, — Berkshire, Poland China, Essex. (b) Red, — Duroc, Tamworth. (c) White, — Cheshire, Chester White, Victoria. 5. Goats. Value for milk supply. B. — Field work (with the home stock). /. Scoring and judging as many breeds as available. 2. Visit farm to study animals and their care, housing and cleanliness. 3. Prevention of disease and treatment of common ailments and injuries. //. POULTRY. A. — Study of breeds. /. Egg breeds. (a) Mediterranean, — Leghorn, Minorca, Spanish. (b) Hamburg, — Houdan. 2. Meat breeds. Asiatics, — Brahmas, Cochins, Langshans. 3. General purpose breeds. Plymouth Rock, — Wyandotte, Jave, Dorking, Rhode Island Red, Orprington. 4. Fancy breeds. Polish, Game, Bantam. B. — Study of incubators, incubation and brooding. C. — Care and management, diseases and their control. D. — Judging and scoring all breeds, — fowls from home yard. 16 III. FEEDING ANIMALS. A — Principles of feeding. /. For work. 2. For meat, milk, wool or eggs. 3. For growth. B — Compounding rations. IV. FARM MECHANICS. A — Various structures and works on the farm. /. Planning and erecting farm buildings. 2. Irrigation systems and roads. 3. Water and sewer systems for farm house — laying water and sewer pipe. 4. Surveying — measuring land and laying out all the above systems. B — Farm Machinery. /. Study principles in agricultural physics. 2. Learn construction by taking apart and setting up again. 3. Operate all kinds possible. 4. Importance of good care and of prompt repairing. V. FARM MANAGEMENT. A — Selection of farms and their location. /. Market facilities. 2. Water supply, irrigation and drainage. 3. School and social facilities. B — Labor on the farm. C — Systems of farming. /. Intensive — diversified crops. 2. Extensive, range and grain lands. D — Marketing. /. Preparing crops for market. 2. Various methods of disposing of crop. 3. Transportation problems. 4. Advertising. E — Keeping farm accounts. /. Records of animal production, feed, milk and breeding. 2. Records of crops and separate fields. 3. Making inventories. 4. Bookkeeping. A PARTIAL LIST OF HELPFUL BULLETINS, CIRCULARS AND BOOKS ON AGRICULTURE. L Publications of U. S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Exper* iment Station, usually free on application: Circular No. 49. — Secondary Courses in Agriculture. Circular No. 52. — A Few Good Books and Bulletins on Nature Study and Elementary Agriculture. Circular No. 60. — The Teaching of Agriculture in the Rural Common Schools. Circular No. 77. — A Secondary Course in Agronomy. 17 Bulletin No. I 60. — School Gardens. Galloway. Bulletin No. 1 86. — Exercises in Elementary Plant Production. Crosby. Bulletin No. 195. — Simple Exercises Illustrating Some Ap- plications of Chemistry to Agriculture. Progress in Agricultural Education, 1906, 1907, 1908; re- prints from Annual Report, Office Experiment Stations, 1906, 1907, and 1908. IL Other free Bulletins: Farmer's Bulletin, Washington D. C. No. 218. — The School Garden. Corbett. Bureau of Education, Washington, D. C. No. 2, 1907, — - Agricultural Education. Jewell. Bureau of Education, Washington, D. C. No. 1 , 1 908. — On the training of Persons to Teach Agriculture in the Public Schools. Bailey. Agricultural Experiment Station, Berkeley, Circular No. 46. School Gardens in California. E. B. Babcock. ///. Some Bulletins for which a small charge is made: School Gardens for California Schools, by B. M. Davis, State Normal School, Chico. One Hundred Experiments in Elementary Agriculture, by R. O. Johnson, State Normal School, Chico. Nature Study Bulletin, by Woodworth and Osterhout, Col- lege of Agriculture, Berkeley. IV. Elementary boof^s which may be used as texts in Grammar Grades: Goff & Mayne — First Principles of Agriculture. Am. Book Co. Davis — Rural Agriculture. Orange Judd Co. Vivian — First Principles of Soil Fertility. Orange Judd Co. Jackson & Daugherty — Agriculture through Laboratory & School Garden. Orange Judd Co. Burkett, Stevens & Hill. — Agriculture for Beginngers. Ginn & Co. Goodrich — The First Book of Farming. Doubleday, Page & Co. Van Norman — First Lessons in Dairying. Orange Judd Co. Hemenway — How to make School Gardens. Doubleday, Page & Co. Hilgard & Osterhout — Agriculture for Schools in California and Other Pacific States. Macmillan Co. (in prepara- tion. ) V. Books which may be used as texts in High Schools: Warren — Elements of Agriculture. Macmillan Co. Bailey & Coleman — First course in Biology. Macmillan Co. King — The Soil. Macmillan Co. Burkett — Soils. Orange Judd Co. Snyder — Soils and Fertilizers. Macmillan Co. Snyder — Chemistry of Plant and Animal Life. Macmillan Co. 18 Roberts — Fertility of the Land. Macmillan Co. Bailey — Principles of Agriculture. Macmillan Co. Bailey — Lessons with Plants. Macmillan Co. Osterhout — Experiments with Plants. Macmillan Co. Bailey — Principles of Fruit Growing. Macmillan Co. Wickson — California Fruits. Pacific Rural Press. Hunt — Cereals in America. Orange Judd Co. Lyon & Montgomery — Examining and Grading Grain. Ginn & Co. Wing — Milk and Its Products. Macmillan Co. Farrington & Woll — Testing Milk. Mendoto Book Co. Plumb — Breeds of Live Stock. Ginn & Co. Mrs. A. Basley — Poultry Book. Published by Author, Los Angeles. Ferguson & Lewis — Elementary Principles of Agriculture. Ferguson Pub. Co., Sherman, Tex. Wilkinson — Practical Agriculture. American Book Co. Gifford — Practical Forestry. Appletons. VI. Books for reference and teachers' use: Hilgard — Soils. Macmillan Co. Fletcher — Soils. Double day, Page & Co. Roberts — The Farmstead. Macmillan Co. King — Physics of Agriculture. Pub. by Author, Madison, Wis. Wickson — California Vegetables. Pacific Rural Press. Hume — Citrus Fruits and Culture. H. & W. B. Drey Co. Van Slyke — Testing Milk. Orange Judd Co. Wilcox — -Farm Animals. Doubleday, Page & Co. Roberts — The Horse. Macmillan Co. Mayo — The Care of Animals. Macmillan Co. Craig — Judging Live Stock. Kenyon Printing & Mfg. Co. Watson — Farm Poultry. Macmillan Co. Roberts — The Farmers' Business Handbook. Macmillan Co. Card — Farm Management. Doubleday, Page & Co. Henry — Feeds and Feeding. W. A. Henry, Madison, Wis. Jordan — Feeding Farm Animals. Macmillan Co. Davidson & Chase — Farm Machinery & Motors. Orange Judd & Co. Bailey — Nature Study Idea. Doubleday, Page & Co. Bailey — Outlook to Nature. Macmillan Co. Bailey — The State and the Farmer. Macmillan Co. Bailey — The Training of the Farmer. The Century Co. Davenport — Education for Efficiency. Heath & Co.