BULLETIN 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY OF /TEXAS 
 
 NO. 361 / 
 
 SIX TIMES A MONTH 
 
 EXTENSION SERIES NO. 61 
 
 SEPTEMBER 25, 1914 
 
 Nature Study and Agriculture for the 
 Rural Schools of Texas 
 
 BY 
 
 WILLIAM SEPTIMUS TAVTOR, M. S. 
 
 ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION 
 AND 
 
 CHARLES HERMAN WINKLER, M. A. 
 
 INSTRUCTOR IN AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION 
 
 PUBLISHED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS 
 AUSTIN, TEXAS 
 
 Entered as second-class mail matter at the postoffice at Austin, Texas 
 
552-814-15m-6152 
 
 BULLETIN 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS 
 
 NO. 361 
 
 SIX TIMES A MONTH 
 
 EXTENSION SERIES NO. 61 
 
 SEPTEMBER 25, 1914 
 
 Nature Study and Agriculture for the 
 Rural Schools of Texas 
 
 BY 
 
 WILLIAM SEPTIMUS TAVLOR, M. S. 
 
 ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION 
 AND 
 
 CHARLES HERMAN WINKLER, M. A. 
 
 INSTRUCTOR IN AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION 
 
 PUBLISHED BY THE UNIVERSITY CF TEXAS 
 AUSTIN, TEXAS 
 
 Entered as second-class mail matter at the post off: : ~ at Austin, Texas 
 
Cultivated mind is the guardian genius 
 
 of democracy It is the only 
 
 dictator that freemen acknowledge and 
 the only security that freemen desire. 
 
 President Mirabeau B. Lamar. 
 
 The benefits of education and of useful 
 knowledge, generally diffused through a 
 community, are essential to the preser- 
 vation of a free government. 
 
 * .-. / :Rreside3nt Sam Houston. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 Introduction T 11 
 
 Importance of Nature Study and Agriculture 13 
 
 Field Excursions 13 
 
 Collecting and. Preserving Material 13 
 
 Place on the Daily Program '. . 14 
 
 The Laboratory and the School Garden 15 
 
 The Library 15 
 
 First Grade 17 
 
 Second Grade 20 
 
 Third Grade 24 
 
 Fourth Grade 30 
 
 Fifth Grade 36 
 
 Sixth Grade , 43 
 
 Seventh Grade 52 
 
 Bibliography of Nature Study and Agriculture. 67 
 
 Bibliography of Country Life Literature 71 
 
 Addresses of Publishers and Key to Abbreviations . . .73 
 
 M261428 
 
DEPARTMENT OF EXTENSION 
 
 SIDNEY EDWARD MGEZES, PH. D., President of the University. 
 F. M. BRALLEY, Director of the Department of Extension. 
 SAM C. POLK, Secretary to the Director. 
 
 Division of Correspondence Instruction. 
 
 L. W. PAYNE, JR., PH. D., Head of the Division. 
 W. ETHEL BARRON, Registrar. 
 
 Division of Public Welfare. 
 
 CHARLES B. AUSTIN, M. A., Head of the Division. 
 
 GEORGE S. WEHRWEIN, B. S., Specialist and Lecturer on 
 
 Co-operation. 
 
 W. A. SCHOENFELD, B. S., Specialist in Farm and Co-opera^ 
 tive Accounting. 
 
 Division of Public Discussion. 
 
 E. D. SIIURTER, PH. B., Head of the Division. 
 
 A. J. ROBINSON, B. A., Lecturer and Athletic Organizer. 
 
 MARIAN EDITH POTTS, B. A., Package Librarian. 
 
 Division of Home Welfare. 
 
 MARY E. GEARING, Head of the Division. 
 
 Jessie P. RICH, B. S., Lecturer on Domestic Economy. 
 
 EDITH ALLEN, B. A., Lecturer on Domestic Economy. 
 
 Division of Public School Improvement. 
 E. V. WHITE, Head of the Division. 
 EDWARD E. DAVIS, B. A., Lecturer. 
 AMANDA STOLTZFUS J L. I., Lecturer. 
 
 Division of Public Lectures and Publicity. 
 
 JOHN A. LOMAX, M. A., Head of the Division. 
 
 Division of Child Welfare. 
 
 A. CASWELL ELLIS, PH. D., Head of the Division. 
 N". L. HOOPINGARNER, B. A., Assistant. 
 
THE DEPARTMENT OF EXTENSION 
 
 Purpose. Every university should serve not only its resident 
 
 student bod}*, but also the entire community. This i> true in a 
 peculiar sense of a state university; supported as it is by the 
 taxes of all the people, it is under business obligation to render 
 back service to each citizen and to the commonwealth. In a 
 general sense a university fulfills this obligation by sending edu- 
 cated young men and women back into their home communities to 
 carry with them the culture of a broader outlook; the skill ac- 
 quired through professional training as lawyers, teachers, doctors, 
 nurses, home-makers, business men; and especially the inspiration 
 of unselfish service as citizens that is the intangible and priceless 
 asset of university life. 
 
 Taking the University to the People. This indirect contact 
 with the whole people of the State is, however, not sufficient. The 
 constant aim of the President and Regents has been to broaden 
 the scope of the University of Texas with the broadening interests 
 of the state, and to bring its benefits within the reach of as many 
 individuals as possible. In 1898 the Summer Schools were opened 
 and have been maintained each summer since for the convenience 
 of students who are unable to attend the long session, especially for 
 the teachers of the Texas schools whose professional work fills the 
 winter months. As a further step toward making the University 
 directly useful to large numbers of people who are unable to 
 attend the classes of either the long or the summer session, the 
 Department of Extension was established four years ago. This 
 Department has developed rapidly, and its work is now carried 
 forward under several general divisions as follows: 
 
 The Division of Public Welfare. It is the purpose of this 
 division to go into the field and investigate the economic and 
 social conditions in the state with a view of collecting such reliable 
 data as may present a basis for intelligent efforts at improving such 
 conditions. It is hoped that through this Department the citizens 
 of the state may have the advantage of unbiased University ex- 
 perts, who can come to them and advise with them whenever they 
 wish to plan any economic and social movement. The time of 
 
b Bulletin of the University of Texas 
 
 one or more persons will be devoted to the various problems of 
 rural economy, sanitation, social life, finance, marketing and kin- 
 dred subjects. 
 
 The Division of Public Discussion. This division has for 
 its purpose the encouragement and intelligent direction of public 
 discussion and debate, both in schools and out of them. Bulle- 
 tins have been issued giving advice regarding the organization 
 of debating clubs, and furnishing lists of references for reading 
 and preparation for debate on a number of topics. Loan libraries 
 on important subjects, such as prohibition, woman suffrage, in- 
 itiative and referendum, prison reform, compulsory education, the 
 commission form of city government, municipal ownership of 
 public utilities, and the tariff and free raw material, have been 
 prepared and are being loaned to such clubs and individuals as 
 request them. The University Interscholastic League has been 
 successfully organized, and it is the hope of this division to assist 
 in developing the school as a social center through which the com- 
 munity may become better informed. County organizations be- 
 longing to the League hold annually county contests in debating, 
 declamation, and athletics. Every school in Texas should be inter- 
 ested in this work, and a League should be organized in each 
 county. Upon request the Constitution of the League, together 
 with bulletins and other information, will be mailed. 
 
 The Division of Home Welfare. The division deals specifically 
 with all problems relating to the home, and exists primarily for 
 the benefit of the home-maker and with a view of placing the home 
 on the same intelligent and prosperous basis which characterizes 
 other progressive institutions. Lecturers and demonstrators will 
 attend fairs, county educational rallies, and make a limited num- 
 ber of engagements through the medium of women's organizations, 
 to give specific instruction on subjects of vital interest to the home. 
 Bulletins will be issued frequently on matters pertaining to the 
 home and may be had on application to the Department. Ques- 
 tions will gladly be answered at any time on matters pertaining to 
 the welfare of the home. Further information may be obtained 
 by writing to the division. 
 
Nature Study and Agriculture for Rural Schools of Texas 9 
 
 The Division of Public School Improvement. This division has 
 in charge the various educational exhibits sent out by the Univer- 
 sity to the fairs and other large gatherings, to call to the attention 
 of the people certain needs of Texas and to point out the most 
 intelligent methods of meeting these needs. These exhibits cover 
 such vital subjects as school buildings and school hygiene, plays 
 and playgrounds, use of, schools as social centers, medical inspection 
 of schools and care of the feeble-minded. Information on miscel- 
 laneous subjects is furnished through the co-operation of men in 
 the faculty who have expert knowledge in their various fields. 
 Beady-made lectures, accompanied by slides, are sent out to re- 
 sponsible people who are attempting local improvement. Short, 
 practical bulletins have been prepared on many such timely sub- 
 jects as Wholesome Cooking under Eural Conditions, Beautifica- 
 tion of Home and School Grounds. Pamphlets have also been 
 issued on One and Two-Eoom Bural School Buildings, Three and 
 Four-Boom Bural School Buildings, Bemodeled Bural School 
 Buildings. These contain full detailed drawings and detailed 
 architect's specifications. As its title indicates, the activities of 
 this division are diversified. The aim of the division is to be 
 usefu] in the homes and in the schools of the state, and to this end 
 correspondence with communities that desire its co-operation is 
 invited. 
 
 The Division of Public Lectures. In the Division of Public 
 Lectures the University undertakes to provide competent, trained, 
 and impartial speakers, chiefly from among its faculty, to present 
 to the people the great questions of the day, and interesting 
 phases of literature, science, and art. It is by no means the pur- 
 pose of these lectures to be merely amusing; the attempt is made 
 to present in a popular and attractive form a definite amount 
 of reliable instruction. A special bulletin setting forth the avail- 
 able lectures has been prepared and will be sent upon application. 
 
 The Division of Child Welfare. The Division of Child Welfare 
 investigates local conditions affecting children, and assists in plans 
 for bettering the conditions affecting childhood. The hygienic 
 and sanitary conditions of schools have been given much study, 
 and through bulletins, letters, and lectures help is given to school 
 
10 Bulletin of the University of Texas 
 
 boards in planning new schoolhouses and in remodeling old ones 
 to make them more hygienic. The feeble-minded and delinquents 
 have been studied and assistance given in drafting laws to care 
 better for them. Numerous other studies will be taken up as rap- 
 idly as funds are made available. A. psychological clinic will next 
 year be established at the University to which abnormal, or atypical, 
 children may be brought for diagnosis. At present the division 
 gives free advice by mail on any matter pertaining to child welfare. 
 
 The Division of Correspondence Instruction. Teaching by 
 correspondence has long since passed the experimental stage. 
 While the University recommends resident work when residence 
 is possible, believing that the experience of meeting and mixing 
 with fellow students and the consequent training in real democ- 
 racy, as well as the personal contact with and inspiration from the 
 ieachers, is invaluable, yet the authorities of the University also 
 realize that correspondence study offers substantial advantage?. 
 In correspondence instruction the teaching is entirely individual; 
 each student, no matter how diffident or how lacking in aggressive- 
 ness, comes into individual relation with the instructor in a way 
 impossible in the crowded class-room. He recites the whole of 
 every lesson with a consequent advantage to himself that is obvious. 
 Full opportunity is given to discuss all difficulties in writing, and 
 this written discussion in itself affords valuable training. Further, 
 a correspondence student is not hampered by the usual time regu- 
 lations; he may take up a study at his convenience without await- 
 ing the fixed date of a college term, and he may push the work 
 to completion as rapidly as he is able to master it. Moreover, 
 correspondence work develops in a marked degree initiative, self- 
 reliance, accuracy, and, above all, perseverance. 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 The Department of Extension of the University is endeavoring 
 to render a genuine service to the common public schools of the 
 state, and the Division of Public School Improvement. of the De- 
 partment is, therefore, glad to offer this bulletin to the teachers 
 of Texas, believing that it will be helpful in bo"th country and 
 city schools in which instruction in nature-study and agriculture 
 is attempted below the high-school stage of advancement. 
 
 Agriculture is taught in the public schools of practically every 
 state in the Union; in fact, thirty-nine of the forty-eight states, 
 including Texas, have recognized the importance of the subject, 
 and have enacted laws requiring agriculture to be taught in the 
 public schools. In practical^ all of the other nine states the 
 teachers, with the approval of their boards of school trustees, have 
 forged ahead and are doing a splendid type of instruction in ele- 
 mentary agriculture. The outline given in this bulletin may be 
 used with most any text-book on the subject of nature-study and 
 elementary agriculture, and may also accompany the use of the 
 state course of study issued by the State Department of Education. 
 
 Nature-study in the public schools has not received heretofore 
 the prominence in the public schools that it should have. This 
 has been due largely to the fact that the rural teachers have not 
 had the training necessary to teach the subject successfully. Effi- 
 cient instruction in agriculture has suffered from the same handi- 
 cap. Provisions should be made in all teachers' training schools 
 for more and better instruction in both nature-study and agri- 
 culture. There is nothing that will strengthen agriculture in the 
 seventh grade so materially as effective work in nature-study in 
 the lower grades. And there is no training that will enrich the 
 child's life more than a study of nature. 
 
 Our educational system is a failure unless it enriches life and 
 trains for greater usefulness. More than 90 per cent of the chil- 
 dren in the rural schools are farmers' sons and daughters, and a 
 large percentage of these will spend their lives on the farm. It 
 is the proper function of the rural schools to give such training 
 as will enable these children to live fuller and riches lives that 
 training which will create ideals, raise standards, and inspire them 
 to greater achievements in their rural environment. Rural schools 
 
12 Bulletin of the University of Texas 
 
 should not attempt to make a farmer out of every boy that comes 
 under their influence, nor should they educate him away from the 
 farm. But they must teach that there is just as much opportunity 
 for culture, for happiness, for intelligent thought and action, and 
 as great remuneration for their efforts on the farm as in the city. 
 
 The material in this bulletin is suggested for use in the grades 
 below the high school. It may not be practicable for the teacher 
 to follow the outline closely; as large a part or as small a part 
 may be used as is found helpful. Additional material will be sug- 
 gested by the teacher, as well as by the pupils. The quick, alert 
 minds of boys and girls in the public schools will often furnish 
 more valuable suggestions for work than can possibly be carried 
 out. Above everything else, the study of the subject should instill 
 a love for nature, for farm life, and an ambition to live contentedly 
 in the open country. 
 
 Messrs. Taylor and Winkler, the authors of this bulletin, are 
 entirely competent to give help in this important phase of public 
 school education. 
 
 F. M. BRALLEY, 
 
 Director. 
 
NATURE STUDY AND AGRICULTURE 
 
 IMPORTANCE. 
 
 The normal child is naturally interested in nature. If he is 
 to get from life all the pleasure and enjoyment that is in store 
 for him, if he is to live completely, this natural quality of his 
 mind must be cultivated. In the hands of the skillful teacher, 
 the natural endowment of the child should be so directed as to 
 enable him to appreciate the beautiful in life, to explore new 
 fields, to delve into new subjects, and to gather information for 
 himself from the great realm of nature. Nature spreads out an 
 inexhaustible supply of material of wonderful beauty, of never 
 failing interest, and of great economic importance within the reach 
 of every one. The child whose teaching has been such as will 
 enable him to gather from this that which enriches and delights 
 his mind and broadens his knowledge is fortunate indeed. 
 
 FIELD EXCURSIONS. 
 
 In all the work in nature study and agriculture, field excursions 
 are of supreme importance for the purpose of getting observations 
 at first hand. The teacher who would increase the interest of his 
 pupils in the world of nature and who would familiarize them 
 thoroughly with farm conditions and farm problems, must make 
 numerous excursions with his classes. Each excursion should be 
 planned beforehand and should have some definite object in view. 
 On all excursions lead the children to talk about the things they 
 see. Encourage the kind of training that will help them to inter- 
 pret the material world with which they come in daily contact, 
 
 COLLECTING AND PRESERVING MATERIAL. 
 
 In addition to the field excursions the children should be en- 
 couraged to bring specimens of plants, insects, grains, stones 
 anything they find of interest to them to the school building. 
 The school should have a small museum, and should add to it 
 any material collected of unusual interest. This museum should 
 be made up of the common plant and animal life, of stones, old 
 
14 Bulletin of tlie University of Texas 
 
 birds" nests, Indian relics, etc. The smaller plants may be pressed 
 between blotting paper and preserved nicely. Butterflies, moths, 
 grasshoppers, beetles, etc., may be caught in insect nets, killed in 
 cyanide jars or with formalin, pressed into good form, and mounted 
 in various ways. The common method of sticking a pin through 
 the body of the insect and into a piece of cork or wood from a 
 cigar box is perhaps the easiest method and is fairly satisfactory. 
 They should be preserved in a glass-covered case. It is well to 
 place a small amount of carbon bisulphide in the case frequently 
 to prevent moths from destroying the mounted specimens. Soft 
 larvae, caterpillars, grubs, lizards, snakes, etc., may be preserved 
 in 75 per cent alcohol, or better still, in a 5 per cent formalin 
 solution. Life histories of many of the more important insect 
 pests should be shown in the collection. It will be found a rela- 
 tively easy matter to work up a museum of great educational value 
 to the community. 
 
 PLACE ON THE DAILY PROGRAM. 
 
 A large number of teachers give as an excuse for not teaching 
 nature study and agriculture that they have no time for it on the 
 daily program. The work in the first six grades should not be 
 given a separate period on the daily schedule. It should be cor- 
 related with the work in English, reading, geography, arithmetic, 
 manual arts, sanitation, and hygiene, etc. It furnishes an abun- 
 dance of the most interesting material to be obtained for language 
 work and wiH help to lend interest to this frequently dry and un- 
 interesting subject. It vitalizes all the other subjects in the same 
 way and makes them much more easily taught. ' There is no excuse 
 for a teacher's failing to give instruction in nature study and agri- 
 culture. Many teachers make the opening exercises in the morn- 
 ing a nature study hour and get excellent results from the work. 
 The work in the seventh grade, however, should be given a place on 
 the daily program. Every child in the rural schools should receive 
 such training in agriculture as will give him a greater appre- 
 ciation of farm life and help him to understand the fundamental, 
 elementary principles underlying successful farming. 
 
Sat we Study and Agriculture for Rural Schools of Texas 15 
 
 THE LABORATORY AND THE SCHOOL GARDEN. 
 
 Other excuses that are frequently given for failing to give in- 
 struction in agriculture are that the schools have no laboratories, 
 no apparatus, and no experimental farms or school gardens. A 
 live, wide-awake, energetic teacher would never give any one 
 or all of these as an excuse. The whole neighborhood is the lab- 
 oratory of the rural school. The equipment on every farm, to- 
 gether with such supplies as may be devised by the resourceful 
 teacher is the apparatus needed, and each farm in the community 
 is an experimental farm. The class-room instruction can be 
 greatly strengthened if it is possible for a school to equip itself 
 with a working laboratory in agriculture, but it is not essential 
 to effective work. The school garden in Texas at present is prob- 
 lematical. The work will be made more interesting and more 
 helpful by giving a large amount of concrete work. But unless 
 provision can be made for caring for the garden during vacation, 
 all garden work or farm work should be made home project work. 
 This is a very satisfactory way of giving such work and will 
 vitalize the instruction in the class-room and the laboratory. 
 
 THE LIBRARY. 
 
 The idea of a rural school library is comparatively new in most 
 rural communities. The movement is fast gaining ground, how- 
 ever, and nearly all schools now attempt to keep some kind of 
 reading material which is generously called the library. It is pos- 
 sible today for any school, however poor it may be, to equip itself 
 with a good reading library in nature study and agriculture. The 
 United States Department of Agriculture at Washington, D. C., 
 and the experiment stations in the different states publish a large 
 amount of valuable material monthly for the farmers of the nation. 
 These publications cover every phase of farm life and the majority 
 of them are written so that any seventh grade child can understand 
 them. The Biological Survey of the Department of Agriculture 
 has published a great many helpful bulletins on birds, and most 
 of them may be obtained upon request. The state experiment 
 stations also have many available bulletins along nature-study 
 lines. These are not supposed to be sent free outside of the state 
 
16 Bulletin of the University of Texas 
 
 in which they were printed, but most of them may be had for the 
 asking. Every school should procure just as many of these bulle- 
 tins as can be used. They should be bound in a good, stiff binder 
 so that they will not be torn up so easily. A good binder for this 
 purpose may be obtained from Gaylord Bros., Syracuse, N. Y., at 
 a merely nominal price. In addition to the bulletins the school 
 should have a good working library in nature study and agri- 
 culture and should also have a number of books on country life 
 literature. The bibliography in the back of the bulletin will sug- 
 gest a number of books that will be found worth while in every 
 rural school library. 
 
Nature Study and Agriculture for Rural Schools of Texas 17 
 
 FIRST GRADE 
 
 The work in the first grade must be very elementary. Begin 
 working with the things, with which the children are most familiar. 
 Encourage them to talk about the things in which they are most 
 interested. Never discourage them regarding any of their inter- 
 ests. The teacher must be an enthusiast in the work if he would 
 have the children enthusiastic. 
 
 I. PLANTS. 
 
 1. SEEDS AND SEED GERMINATION. Give simple exercises in 
 
 seed germination, using two tin plates or pie pans, and 
 blotting paper or cotton flannel, to show the need of water 
 in germination and to give familiarity with a few of the 
 common garden and field seeds. All seeds used for germi- 
 nating purposes should be brought from the homes in the 
 community. Let each child bring seed from his home. 
 Create a little wholesome rivalry for the highest and strong- 
 est germination. It adds a great deal to the interest. 
 
 2. FLOWERING PLANTS. Gather and note the perfume of the 
 
 most common and most attractive flowering plants in the 
 community. Teach pupils to name and recognize such com- 
 mon flowers as blue bonnets, verbenas, primroses, violets, 
 parisies, nasturtiums, zinnias, daisies, sunflowers, coreopsis, 
 etc. Have the children bring the common wild flowers and 
 such cultivated flowers as they have at their homes to 
 school. Teach them how to gather them so as not to in- 
 jure the plants. 
 
 3. WEEDS. Teach how to recognize such common weeds as crab 
 
 grass, fox tail, bitter weed, pigweed, pepper grass, cockle 
 bur, thistle, rag weed, nettle, tie vine, blood weed, etc. 
 
 4. FOREST TREES. Teach pupils to name and recognize the 
 
 oaks, hickory, elm, pine, sycamore, pecan, hackberry, mes- 
 quite, and other common trees. Teach them to name the 
 trees on the school ground. Collect leaves from these trees, 
 
18 Bulletin of the University of Texas 
 
 press them and save for use in naming the trees and for 
 drawing lessons during the winter. 
 
 5. FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. Study the fruits and vegetables 
 growing in the community. Bring specimens of each to 
 school. Discuss the color, odor, taste, and use of each. 
 
 II. ANIMALS. 
 
 1. DOMESTIC ANIMALS. Study the horse, cow, sheep, pig, goat, 
 
 dog, and cat, noting the ways in which they are useful to 
 us; the food they eat; the difference in the manner of tak- 
 ing and chewing their food. Study the heads and feet of 
 these animals. Note those animals that have horns. Note 
 the shape and position of the ears of different animals. 
 Study animals that have hoofs; list those that have solid 
 and those that have cloven hoofs. Compare the feet of the 
 dog and the cat with the feet of the horse and the cow. 
 
 2. WILD ANIMALS. Make a list of all the wild animals the 
 
 children can name; a list of those that the children have 
 seen ; a list of the wild animals that are dangerous to man ; 
 a list of those that are used as food. Study the habits, 
 food, and home of the prairie dog, jack rabbit, squirrel, 
 coyote, cottontail, rat, mouse, and skunk. Tell the chil- 
 dren stories of wild animals and encourage them to tell the 
 stories they have heard. 
 
 3. PETS. Stories of how they come to be made pets. 
 
 4. BIRDS. 
 
 a. Turkeys, geese, guineas, ducks, chickens, peafowls, and 
 
 pheasants. Study their use to the farm home; their 
 habits and general appearance. 
 
 b. Learn to recognize and name such birds as the mocking- 
 
 bird, crow, robin, English sparrow, house wren, blue 
 jay, purple martin, screech owl, oriole, hummingbird, 
 dove and quail. 
 
 c. Study in detail the house wren, observing especially 
 
 1. Place of nesting. 
 
 2. Material used in building the nest. 
 
Nature Study and Agriculture for Rural Schools of Texas 19 
 
 3. Time of nesting. 
 
 4. Number of eggs in the nest. 
 .5. Size and color of eggs. 
 
 6. Incubation period. 
 
 7. Kind of food given nestlings. 
 
 8. Food of adult birds. 
 
 9. Frequency of feeding young. 
 
 10. Whether mother bird, her mate, or both feed young. 
 
 11. Number of broods per season. 
 
 d. Arrange to feed birls with fragments from the lunch bas- 
 kets. The food may be placed on the window sills, 
 on a piece of board fastened up in a tree, or in any 
 place where the birds may be attracted to it. They 
 will be shy about eating this food at first, but with a 
 small amount of coaxing they will become quite tame. 
 
 5. INSECTS. Learn to recognize and name such common insects 
 as the grasshopper, cricket, butterfly, lady bug, bumblebee, 
 honey bee, moth, potato bug, etc. Discuss their homes, 
 feeding habits, and methods of moving about. 
 
 III. HOMES OF MAN. 
 
 Study the wigwam, Eskimo hut, log cabin, and a modern home. 
 Procure good pictures of each of these. Have the children 
 bring pictures of each from their own homes and encourage 
 a discussion of each picture. Tell the children stories of the 
 early inhabitants of the country and their manner of living. 
 Have the children cut out wigwams from paper and help 
 them to construct an Indian village. Compare the way the 
 early pioneers lived with present-day life. 
 
 IV. NOTES ON THE WEATHEE. 
 
 Observe the weather changes and their effects upon nature. Ob- 
 serve the direction of the wind in cool weather; in warm 
 weather. Note the effect of cool weather on growth; of 
 warm weather on growth. Observe the effect of frost and 
 freezing on vegetation. 
 
20 Bulletin of the University of Texas 
 
 SECOND GRADE 
 
 The work of the second year should differ very slightly in its 
 content from the first year's work. Do not attempt too great an 
 enlargement. The pupils have a slight knowledge of the things 
 studied before; their power of observation has been increased to 
 some extent; they have a little broader viewpoint: they are some 
 stronger because of their previous work. But they are not capable 
 of grasping a great many new facts. The work will be more 
 interesting and more helpful to them if only a small amount of 
 new material is added, and the old material is presented in a 
 slightly new form. 
 
 I. PLANTS. 
 
 1. SEEDS AND SEED GERMINATION. Simple exercises in germi- 
 
 nation, using a sand box or sawdust instead of the tin pans 
 and blotting paper. All three of these may be used. Use 
 seed from the homes in the neighborhood. Make several 
 tests in germination to show the need of moisture. Keep 
 some of the tests moist after the seeds germinate and give 
 others no water at all. Observe the difference. 
 
 2. FLOWERING PLANTS. Continue the study as in the first 
 
 grade. In addition to the flowers studied the first year, 
 study the dandelions, thistles, sweet peas, poppies, Indian 
 blanket, holly hocks, hyacinths, and jonquils. Have the 
 children bring bouquets of wild and cultivated flowers for 
 study and for the teacher's desk. Show them how to ar- 
 range flowers to make them attractive. 
 
 3. WEEDS. Review the weeds studied the previous year until 
 
 the children can identify and name each one. In addi- 
 tion to these learn such common weeds as lamb's-quarters, 
 purslane, barnyard grass, buffalo bur, shepherd's purse, and 
 others of the most common and most troublesome weeds in 
 the community. 
 
 4. PLANTS THAT DO NOT BEAR FLOWERS. Ferns, mosses, lich- 
 
 ens, etc. The children should be taught to recognize some 
 of these plants. If possible, let them gather their own 
 
Nature Study and Agriculture for Rural Schools of Texas 21 
 
 specimens ; but if they are not able to find them, the teacher 
 should provide specimens of each. 
 
 5. FOREST TREES. In addition to the trees studied in the first 
 
 year, study the cedar, walnut, birch, poplar, magnolia, sas- 
 safras, persimmon, ash, and any other trees found in the 
 community. Make a collection of leaves of all the trees 
 studied, press them, and save them for use in drawing and 
 naming. Gather seeds, nuts, and fruit from the trees in 
 the vicinity and keep them for winter study. 
 
 6. FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. The apple, pear, quince, peach, 
 
 fig, orange, grape fruit, grape, strawberry, watermelon, can- 
 taloupe, beans, peas, radishes, cabbage, onions, turnips, to- 
 matoes, potatoes, cucumbers, parsnips, beets, and okra. 
 Discuss the color, odor, taste, method of growth, size, gen- 
 eral appearance and use of each; which are usually served 
 raw and which cooked; at which meals usually served. 
 Have children bring specimens of every fruit and vegetables 
 grown at their homes. 
 
 II. ANIMAL LIFE. 
 
 1. DOMESTIC ANIMALS. List of domestic animals in the com- 
 
 munity. Study more fully the ways in which they' are use- 
 ful to us. Observe their food habits more closely. Watch 
 . a cow chewing her cud. Of what is it composed ? Why 
 do they chew cuds? Discuss the peculiar characteristic 
 features and movements of the various animals. Note the 
 different ways of lying down, getting up, walking, running, 
 jumping, etc. Have the children observe the peculiar 
 habits of each animal and report their observation to the 
 class. 
 
 2. WILD ANIMALS. List of all the wild animals the children 
 
 can name. List of those found in the United States; in 
 Texas. Animals becoming extinct. Reasons for extermi- 
 nation. Continue the study of the animals studied in the 
 first grade. If possible, capture a prairie dog, put him in 
 a cage and keep him at the school building for study. 
 Have the children observe all his habits closely. Study 
 
Bulletin of the University of Texas 
 
 a mouse and a rabbit in the same way. Make all the ob- 
 servations possible while studying them in their natural 
 homes. Collect pictures from every known source for use 
 in these studies. 
 
 3. PETS. Guinea pigs, rabbits, white rats, white mice, rac- 
 
 coons, etc. 
 
 4. BIRDS. 
 
 a. Continue the study of the domestic fowls, observing more 
 
 closely their general appearance, their nesting habit?, 
 their feeding, and their general habits. Discuss fully 
 their use on the farm; the use of their eggs; use of 
 their feathers. 
 
 b. Learn to recognize and name, in addition to all the birds 
 
 learned in the first grade, the scissor-tailed fly catcher, 
 road runner, sparrow hawk, shrike, painted bunting, 
 dickcissel, blue bird, cliff swallow, song sparrow, and 
 chickadee. 
 
 c. Select the first bird found nesting for the detailed study 
 
 outlined for the wren in the preceding grade unless 
 that first bird is the English sparrow. Do not use 
 this pest for the study until later, 
 d. " List of migratory birds seen during the year. 
 
 e. List of resident birds. 
 
 f. Provide nesting places for birds on the school grounds by 
 
 fastening gourds, tin cans, and boxes in the trees. 
 Observe closely the nesting habits of the birds studied 
 and see which ones might be induced to nest in the 
 places provided. 
 
 5. INSECTS. Collect such common insects as are suggested in 
 
 the work for the first grade and others common in the com- 
 munity, and bring them to the school-room for study. Have 
 the children count the number of pairs of legs and wings; 
 the number of parts of the body ; examine the mouth part? ; 
 help them to locate their eyes and their breathing pores. 
 Bring out the most interesting points about each specimen. 
 Learn such insects as the walking stick, dragon fly, katy- 
 did, and mud-dauber. Study the home and habits of the 
 
Nature Study and Agriculture for Rural Schools of Texas 23 
 
 mud-dauber. The house of one of these peculiar insects 
 may be found around the school building. Study its food 
 habits and its home carefully. 
 
 6. TOAD. 
 
 a. General appearance. 
 
 b. Color. Eeasons for being so colored. 
 
 c. Number of feet. 
 
 d. Number of toes on each foot. 
 
 e. Where found in late summer and early fall. 
 
 f. Kind of food. 
 
 g. Time of feeding. 
 
 h. Manner of drinking. 
 
 i. Have the children assist in making an aquarium in which 
 a toad may be kept and fed. Let the children procure 
 the food for it and find out for themselves the dif- 
 ferent kinds of food and the amount a toad will eat. 
 
 j. Have the children count the number of toads around 
 their homes, on the school grounds and the number seen 
 on excursions. 
 
 III. HOMES OF MAN. 
 Continue the study as suggested in outline for the first grade. 
 
 IV. NATURAL PHENOMENA. 
 
 1. THE WEATHER AND THE SEASONS. Learn the names of the 
 
 seasons and the months that make up each. Observe the 
 different activities on the farm during each season. Dis- 
 cuss the seasons of planting and harvesting; the seasons of 
 growth and dormancy. Note the shortening of the days 
 and the position of the sun as the days grow shorter. Watch 
 the sun's position change as the days become longer in 
 the springtime. Keep a calendar showing fair days, cloudy 
 days, rainy days, hail storms, snowfalls, and the dates of 
 the first and last frost. 
 
 2. THE GREAT BEAR, THE LITTLE BEAR AND THE MILKY WAY. 
 
 Stories of each telling why they are so named. 
 
24 Bulletin of the University of Texas 
 
 THIRD GRADE 
 
 The work of this grade is a further enlargement of the work 
 in the first two grades and is designed to enlarge the child's con- 
 ception of the world of nature. The children should enter the 
 third year with a much broader outlook into nature. Their powers 
 of observation should be greatly quickened and they should be able 
 to go more into detail than formerly. The teacher must give 
 them every opportunity to get first hand observations and must 
 help them to see things more clearly. They will be accumulating 
 a store of knowledge in this and all future years and will need 
 a great deal of help in classifying it properly. The teacher must 
 direct their thinking very carefully and must be always ready to 
 correct mistakes, make careful explanations, and help them to get 
 accurate information. 
 
 I. PLANT LIFE. 
 
 1. SEEDS. 
 
 a. Make simple germination tests with seeds of different sizes 
 
 to show the effect on the strength of the plant. For 
 these tests small and large kernels of corn, and small 
 and large kernels of wheat may be used. 
 
 b. Make germination tests under different temperatures to 
 
 show the effect of heat on germination. 
 
 2. FLOWERING PLANTS.. 
 
 a. House plants. Learn to recognize and name some of the 
 
 more common house plants, such as the begonia, gera- 
 nium, primrose, hyacinth, pansy, etc. 
 
 b. Plants used for decorating the home grounds and grown 
 
 in the flower garden. Learn to recognize and name 
 at least ten. Eoses, lilacs, honeysuckle, poppies, lark- 
 spur, lilies, etc., are good specimens for study, 
 c.' Wild flowering plants. Corn flower, Queen Anne's lace, 
 yarrow, phlox, salvia, etc. 
 
 3. ORNAMENTAL PLANTS OTHER THAN FLOWERING PLANTS. 
 a. Ferns: brake, Christmas, and maiden hair. 
 
 1. Study ferns in their natural homes if possible. 
 
Nature Study and Agriculture for Rural Schools of Texas 25 
 
 2. Conditions suitable for growth. 
 
 3. Care of ferns when used for decorative purposes 
 
 in the home. 
 
 4. OTHER ORNAMENTAL PLANTS. 
 
 Coleus, Virginia creeper, arbor vitae, etc. 
 
 5. WEEDS. 
 
 a. List of ten weeds troublesome in the garden. 
 s b. Ten weeds that are general farm pests, 
 c. Collect seeds from five of the most common weeds in the 
 community. Learn to identify the weed by its seeds. 
 
 6. TREES. 
 
 a. Learn to recognize and name 
 
 1. Three nut trees. 
 
 2. Three fruit trees that grow wild. 
 
 3. Three trees beautiful for their flowers. 
 
 4. Three evergreens. 
 
 b. Prepare an exhibit of nuts collected from the nut trees. 
 
 c. Prepare an exhibit of fruit gathered from fruit trees in 
 
 the community. 
 
 d. Make skeleton drawings of type trees, showing direction 
 
 of limbs. 
 
 e. Make mass drawings of type trees, showing form of top. 
 
 f . Compare the leaves of the maple and the oak ; the elm and 
 
 the hickory; the walnut and the sycamore. Draw. 
 
 7. FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. 
 
 a. List of tree fruits grown in the community. 
 
 b. List of vine fruits. 
 
 c. List of the common garden vegetables. 
 
 d. Uses of fruit and vegetables. 
 
 e. Exhibit of product grown on home plot. 
 
 f. Care and handling so as not to injure. 
 
 II. ANIMAL LIFE. 
 
 1. DOMESTIC ANIMALS. Follow suggestions for the first and 
 second grades, studying more in detail the relation of do- 
 mestic animals to agriculture. Discuss care, shelter, and 
 
26 Bulletin of the University of Texas 
 
 feeding of live stock. Teach kindness to farm animals. 
 Interest the children in the work of the humane society. 
 If there is a humane officer accessible, have him tell the 
 children of his work. 
 
 2. WILD ANIMALS. 
 
 a. Wild animals at large in Texas today. 
 
 b. Wild animals in the zoo. 
 
 c. Wild animals in shows. 
 
 d. Methods of capturing. 
 
 e. Special studies of the buffalo and elephant are desirable 
 
 in this grade. If a show comes within reach during 
 the year, encourage the children to see it. Have them 
 report all their observations. 
 
 3. BIRDS. 
 
 a. Domestic fowls. 
 
 1. Season of laying for different classes of poultry. 
 
 2. Number of eggs that a hen, turkey, goose, guinea, 
 
 duck, or peafowl should lay in one year. 
 
 3. Brooding habits of domestic fowls. 
 
 4. Period of incubation of eggs of each. 
 
 5. Poultry census of the neighborhood. 
 
 b. Wild birds. 
 
 1. Continue the study as in first and second grades. 
 
 The children should be able to name and iden- 
 tify a large number of our common birds by 
 the time they have finished this grade. In ad- 
 dition to the twenty-four birds learned in the 
 first two years, learn the tit-mouse, vireo, red- 
 headed woodpecker, flicker, chuck-wilPs-widow, 
 myrtle warbler, cedar waxwing, pine siskin, cow 
 bird, meadow lark, Carolina wren, and rock 
 wren. 
 
 2. Study the nests of different birds. A number of 
 
 old nests may be collected during the winter 
 season and brought to the school building. 
 Make careful studies of the nests of the vireo 
 and oriole. Note the materials used in build- 
 : ing and the method of attaching. 
 
Nature Study and Agriculture for Rural Schools of Texas 27 
 
 3. Detailed study of the oriole or vireo. 
 
 4. Convert crayon boxes and packing boxes into bird 
 
 houses and place them in the trees on the school 
 grounds and at home. 
 
 5. Place suet or bones in the trees and watch the 
 
 woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees, and tit- 
 mice feed on it. 
 
 IXSECTS. The children should continue to acquaint them- 
 selves with insect life and should learn as many different 
 insects as possible. They should learn to distinguish be- 
 tween butterflies and moths by examining the antennae. 
 Compare a grasshopper and a spider. Observe the dif- 
 ference. 
 
 a. Life history of insects. 
 
 1. Egg stage. 
 
 2. Larva or grub stage. 
 
 3. Pupa stage. 
 
 4. Adult or full grown insect. 
 
 XOTE. Use the tent caterpillar in studying the life history 
 of insects. 
 
 b. Butterflies. 
 
 1. Learn to recognize such common forms as the 
 
 cabbage butterfly, monarch, black swallowtail, 
 tiger swallowtail, etc. 
 
 2. Detailed study of the monarch butterfly. 
 
 a. Migration habits. 
 
 b. Food of adult and larva. 
 
 c. How protected from birds. 
 
 d. Life history. 
 
 e. Observe these butterflies during the migra- 
 
 tion seasons; catch some of them and 
 bring them to school for study. 
 
 c. Moths. 
 
 1. Learn to recognize some of the most common 
 
 sphinx moths and any other forms common in 
 the vicinity. 
 
 2. Examine the moths closely and compare with 
 
 butterflies. 
 
28 Bulletin of the University of Texas 
 
 3. Note position of wings when resting; when feed- 
 
 ing. Compare with butterfly. 
 
 4. Procure .cocoons and keep them until the moths 
 
 come out of them. Have each child study the 
 life history of a,t least one moth in this grade. 
 
 d. The house fly. 
 
 1. Life history. 
 
 2. Habits. 
 
 3. Diseases which it spreads. 
 
 4. Methods of combating. 
 
 5. Home-made fly traps. 
 
 e. Mosquito. 
 
 1. Life history. Find a raft of mosquito eggs and 
 
 place in an aquarium. Let the children watch 
 development. 
 
 2. Breeding places of mosquitoes. 
 
 3. Means of killing larva and pupa. 
 
 4. Necessity of co-operation in fighting the house 
 
 fly and mosquito. 
 
 5. Relation of mosquitoes to malaria and yellow fever. 
 
 f. Ant. 
 
 1. Kinds in Texas. 
 
 2. General habits. 
 
 3. Food habits. 
 
 4. Destructive kinds. 
 
 5. Methods of destroying. 
 
 5. TOAD. 
 
 a. Life history. Place some spawn in the aquarium at the 
 
 school. Have the children make daily observations. 
 
 b. Time of spawning. 
 
 c. Number of eggs laid. 
 
 d. Length of life of toad. 
 
 e. The tadpole as a scavenger. 
 
 f. Value of the toad as an insectivorous animal. 
 
 g. Enemies of the toad. 
 
 1. Insectivorous birds. 
 
 2. Birds of prey. 
 
Nature Study and Agriculture for Rural Schools of Texas 29 
 
 3. Snakes. 
 
 4. Killed by wheels of vehicles, trodden on by live 
 
 stock, etc. 
 
 III. HYGIENE AND SANITATION". 
 
 Tiiore should be given in every grade some hygiene and sanitation. 
 It must of necessity be very elementary in the lower grades, 
 of course. But even in the first and second grades the 
 children can be taught a great many things of vital im- 
 portance to their health. Cleanliness, correct postures of 
 standing and sitting, deep breathing, proper ventilation dur- 
 ing work and rest, and good habits of living can be taught 
 from the first grade. 
 
 IV. NOTES ON THE WEATHEE. . 
 
 Continue to keep a calendar showing the fair, cloudy, rainy day?, 
 etc. Also learn to read the thermometer and record the 
 temperature of each day for a month. Observe the altitude 
 of the sun at noon during the different seasons of the year. 
 Notice the time and place of the rising and setting sun 
 during the different seasons. 
 
 V. RELICS. 
 
 Collect relics of all kinds for the museum. Indian arrow points, 
 sp.ears, hatchets, tomahawks, etc., should be collected and 
 placed in every museum. Have the children read stories 
 of the Indians and tell them the use made of each of the 
 relics. 
 
30 Bulletin of the University of Texas 
 
 FOURTH GRADE 
 
 The fourth year's work may be more intensive than previous 
 work. Practically all the work in the first three years has been 
 extensive. The third grade child should begin doing some work 
 in detail. The child in the fourth grade is usually curious to 
 know all that he can learn about everything he sees. He can ask 
 questions until he sometimes becomes tedious. Do not discourage 
 this investigative nature. Direct his questions in so far as neces- 
 sary, but find time to answer every one as fully as possible. Help 
 him to discover things for himself. Give him freedom to do and 
 think independently. Develop within him a desire to know, and 
 aid him in his investigation just as far as help is profitable to him. 
 Let him do things largely on his own initiative. The teacher must 
 be careful not to give too much aid and yet he must ever be ready 
 to indicate the line of work and to direct the student's energies 
 in the proper way. 
 
 I. PLANT LIFE. 
 
 1. SEEDS. 
 
 a. Make simple germination tests with seeds of different ages 
 
 to test the effect of age on vitality. Use tomato and 
 lettuce seeds, one, two, and three years old; corn, oats, 
 and wheat, one, two, three, and four years old and older 
 if it is possible to procure older samples. Compare 
 the results of the tests. 
 
 b. Learn to identify and name the seeds of all the common 
 
 farm and garden crops. Note the different shapes, 
 sizes and colors of the different seeds. Observe the 
 size of the plants produced by the different seeds. 
 Compare the seeds of corn and sorghum. Compare 
 the plants of the same. 
 
 2. PARTS or THE PLANT. Eoots, stems and leaves. 
 
 3. FUNCTIONS OF EACH PART. 
 
 4. FLOWERING PLANTS. 
 
 a. Continue the study of house plants as in the third grade. 
 Learn to recognize and name such plants as narcissus, 
 wandering- jew, etc. 
 
Nature Study and Agriculture for Rural Schools of Texas 31 
 
 b. Plants used for decorating the home grounds. Oleander, 
 
 wisteria, clematis, verbenas, dahlias, cannas, cosmos, 
 periwinkle, asters, princess feather, chrysanthemums, 
 etc. 
 
 c. Wild flowering plants. Elder, mountain laurel, Texas 
 
 plume, etc. 
 
 d. Analyze some of the simpler flowers- and learn their dif- 
 
 ferent parts. The child should be familiar with the 
 terms stamen, anther, pistil, ovary, corolla, calyx, 
 petals, sepals, and bracts. 
 
 e. Wild flowers troublesome as weeds. Queen Anne's lace, 
 
 ox-eye daisy, yarrow, wild verbena, dandelion, sun- 
 flower, wild morning glory. 
 
 f. Flowering plants escaped from cultivation that have be- 
 
 come pests. Larkspur, bouncing-bet, snap-dragon, chic- 
 ory, etc. 
 
 5. OTHER ORNAMENTAL PLANTS. 
 
 a. Shrubs. Common privet, tamarix, ligustrum. crepe myr- 
 
 tle, pomegranate, etc. 
 
 b. Vines. Morning glory, sweet pea, smilax, woodbine, cle- 
 
 matis. 
 
 c. Other plants. 
 
 6. WEEDS. 
 
 a. Name and identify fifteen of the most common weeds in 
 
 the locality. Collect seeds from these weeds and put 
 in glass vials. Learn to recognize the weed by its seeds. 
 
 b. Examine the seeds of thistles, milkweeds, and dandelions. 
 
 Observe the parachute effect, making it easy for the 
 wind to carry them great distances. Examine the seeds 
 of the- linden, maple, and pine. Xote the ways in 
 which these would be most easily transported. 
 
 7. TREES. 
 
 a. List of nut trees in the community. 
 
 b. List of fruit trees, wild and cultivated. 
 
 c. Trees valuable for timber. 
 
 d. Trees used for shade and ornamental purposes. 
 
 e. Plant seeds and nuts fr-om forest trees in a seed bed. 
 
32 Bulletin of the University of Texas 
 
 f. Go into the forest and take up some of the small seed- 
 lings and transplant them on the school ground. Have 
 the fourth grade do this as a grade, and let all the 
 trees they transplant be known as their trees. Give 
 them instructions in the method of digging up the 
 tree, in root and top pruning, and in planting. 
 
 8. FRUIT AND VEGETABLES. 
 
 a. Continue the study as suggested in previous grades. The 
 
 child should be able to name and identify all of the 
 common fruits and vegetables by the time he has com- 
 pleted the fourth year's work, and should know some- 
 thing about the importance and uses of each. 
 
 b. Procure as many specimens of fruits and vegetables not 
 
 common to the community as possible, and tell the 
 children where they are grown and a few interesting 
 facts regarding them. Have the children locate the 
 regions of growth on maps. 
 
 II. ANIMAL LIFE. 
 
 1. DOMESTIC ANIMALS. The children should be interested in 
 
 better live stock in this grade. Visit farms and look at 
 different farm animals. Observe the different breeds of 
 cattle, hogs, and sheep found in the community. Compare, 
 thoroughbred animals with scrubs. Continue the study of 
 care, shelter, feeding, and kindness to all forms of dumb 
 animals. 
 
 2. WILD ANIMALS. 
 
 a. Valuable. 
 
 1. Fur bearing. 
 
 2. As food for man. 
 
 3. Hides used for leather. 
 
 b. Harmful. 
 
 1. Those destructive to growing and stored crops. 
 
 2. Those that prey on other animals. 
 
 c. Uses of furs and leather. 
 
 d. Methods of capturing animals for the zoo. 
 
 e. Methods of destroying animal pests. 
 
Nature Study and Agriculture for Rural Schools of Texas 33 
 
 f . Read stories of hunting in class. Tell the children stories 
 of the buffalo and other animals that are being rapidly 
 exterminated. Interest them in game laws and the 
 protection of animal life. 
 
 3. BIRDS. 
 
 a. Poultry. 
 
 1. Different breeds of chickens, turkeys, and ducks- 
 
 and geese in the neighborhood. 
 
 2. Breeds of chickens known as egg producers. 
 
 3. Care of poultry. 
 
 4. Have each child keep a nesting and brooding rec- 
 
 ord of a turkey or a goose. He should report 
 on time and place of nesting, materials used in- 
 building, peculiarities of the bird while nesting, 
 number of eggs laid, incubation period, etc. 
 
 b. Wild birds. 
 
 1. A complete list of the birds observed in the com- 
 
 munity during the year. 
 
 2. Learn to recognize them at sight and by their call 
 
 notes and songs. 
 
 3. Observe carefully the feeding habits of different 
 
 birds. 
 
 4. List of migratory birds seen in the spring. 
 
 5. List of migratory birds seen in the autumn. 
 
 6. List of summer residents. 
 
 7. List of winter residents. 
 
 8. Birds resident all the year. 
 
 9. Study in detail the blue jay. Discuss his good 
 
 and bad traits and decide which are dominant. 
 10. Study the plumage of all the birds observed very 
 carefully. Compare them in beauty. Teach the 
 esthetic value of birds. 
 
 4. INSECTS. It is the purpose of the study of insects in tins- 
 
 grade to become familiar with as many common insects as 
 possible, with the life histories of a very few of the most 
 common, and to learn to some extent the relation they bear 
 to farm crops. 
 
34 Bulletin of the University of Texas 
 
 a. Learn to recognize and name an insect enemy of the fol- 
 
 lowing : corn, wheat, alfalfa, beans, peas, cotton, pota- 
 toes, cabbage, melons, bemes, peaches, plums, roses, 
 tomatoes. 
 
 b. Study the bumble bee and the honey bee, noting espe- 
 
 cially their homes, their method of collecting and carry- 
 ing food to their homes, their influence on the polli- 
 nation of clovers and fruits. 
 
 c. Insects injurious to public health. Continue the study of 
 
 the fly and mosquito, and take up a brief study of the 
 flea and the bedbug. 
 
 d. Insects injurious to animals. Tick, bot-fly, sheep gad- 
 
 fly, lice, etc. 
 
 e. Enemies of insects. Birds, toads, other insects, man, etc. 
 
 f. Collect and mount a few insects important in relation to 
 
 agriculture. 
 
 5. SNAKES, LIZARDS, TERRAPINS AND TURTLES. Place a horned 
 
 toad, a chameleon, a terrapin, a green snake, or a turtle in 
 a screen cage and provide food for it. Observe its habits 
 of feeding and its peculiar characteristics. Examine the 
 heavy case that encloses the terrapin and the turtle. Note 
 the slowness of travel of these clumsy creatures as compared 
 with the speed of other animals. Study nature's method 
 of protecting her life forms. 
 
 6. EARTH WORMS. 
 
 a. Life history. 
 
 b. Food. 
 
 c. Time of feeding. 
 
 d. Depth of burrowing. 
 
 e. For a study of the earth worm, the children will have to 
 
 use their lanterns at night. The aquarium or a large 
 box may be filled with sand or loose garden loam and 
 three or four large earth worms placed in it. Study 
 the way in which the}^ burrow. Place some green grass 
 or some dead leaves on the surface and watch results. 
 
Mature Ftudy and Agriculture for Rural Schools of Texas 35 
 
 Til. SANITATION AND HYGIENE. 
 
 Care of the scalp, teeth and nails. General problems of sanitation. 
 Care of the home; care of the sink and refrigerator; ven- 
 tilating and airing of storage rooms, basements, cellars, etc. 
 
 IV. NOTES ON THE WEATHER. 
 
 Study the cause of rain, snow, hail, ice, frost and dew. (Correlate 
 with geography.) Observe the effect of each on vegetation, 
 on the earth's crust, and on soil conditions. 
 
 V. ADOBE HOUSES. 
 
 If possible, visit an adobe house and study its construction. Read 
 stories of the early inhabitants of these houses and their 
 civilization. Compare with the Indians in other sections. 
 
36 Bulletin of the University of Texas 
 
 FIFTH GRADE 
 
 In the fifth grade economic features will begin to be of more 
 interest to the child, and the work should be directed along these 
 lines. He will want to know why and how certain insect pests 
 and fungus diseases are injurious and how they may be controlled. 
 He will be interested in knowing more about the damage done by 
 weeds and about methods of control; about the value of birds, not 
 for their beauty and song alone, but as friends of agriculture. His 
 interest in things about him is greater than ever before, and with 
 this increase in interest comes a corresponding increase in his 
 power of observation. And just at this stage, the stage when the 
 child really begins to investigate and compare, he is liable in his 
 haste to draw erroneous conclusions. Help him to satisfy him- 
 self to really see things before he expresses himself. This habit 
 should be formed early in life, and the teacher of nature study 
 has a wonderful opportunity to develop it in the life of the child. 
 
 I. PLANTS. 
 
 1. SEEDS. 
 
 a. Make germination tests of corn, beans, peas, and cotton, 
 
 using sawdust testers made by the boys. 
 
 b. Study grains of corn, dry and soaked. Note the solidity, 
 
 general appearance, cotyledons, embryo, husk, etc. 
 
 c. Study plants growing in sawdust. Note the root system. 
 
 - Observe the root hairs. 
 
 d. Study and make drawings of plants at different stages of 
 
 growth. 
 
 e. Study the .conditions suitable for seed germination. 
 
 2. FLOWERS. 
 
 a. Cultivated. 
 
 1. List of cultivated flowers. 
 
 2. Preparation for planting some of the most com- 
 
 mon. 
 
 3. Time of planting. 
 
 4. Care of growing plants. 
 
 5. Time of blossoming. 
 
 6. Enemies and their control. 
 
Nature Study and A griculture for Rural Schools of Texas 37 
 
 b. Wild. 
 
 1. Kinds. 
 
 2. Distribution. 
 
 3. Conditions suitable for growth. 
 
 4. Time of blossoming. 
 
 5. Manner of reproduction. 
 
 6. Protection. 
 
 c. Analyze a few of the more simple flowers, identifying the 
 
 parts. Draw a few, labeling each part. The child 
 should be quite familiar with the terms suggested in 
 the work in the fourth grade by the time he has com- 
 pleted his fifth year's work. 
 
 d. Teach the esthetic value of flowers. Every rural school 
 
 should have a garden of the native wild flowers on the 
 school grounds. 
 
 3. FERNS, VINES, AND SHRUBS. Continue the study of these 
 
 and other plants used for ornamental purposes. 
 
 4. WEEDS. 
 
 a. Name and identify twenty of the most troublesome weeds 
 
 in the community. Collect seeds from these weeds and 
 put them in screw cap glass vials. Learn to recognize 
 the seeds of each weed studied. 
 
 b. Classify the weeds studied as to length of life. 
 
 1. Annuals. 
 
 2. Biennials. 
 
 3. Perennials. 
 
 c. Collect specimens of the most troublesome weeds and 
 
 press them. Save them for winter study. 
 
 d. Study the habit of growth, manner of dissemination and 
 
 method of eradication of a few common weeds. 
 
 5. MOSSES, LICHENS AND, ALGAE. A brief study of each as to 
 
 habit of growth, method of reproduction, economic impor- 
 tance, etc. 
 
 6. TREES. 
 
 a. Complete list of nut trees, fruit trees, trees valuable for 
 timber, shade trees and ornamental trees as outlined 
 for the fourth grade. 
 
38 Bulletin of the University of Texas 
 
 b. Observe the time of leafing out in the spring. Report 
 
 observations to the class. 
 
 c. Winter study of trees. Learn to identify trees in their 
 
 natural habitat, noting the kind of soil and the amount 
 of moisture they seem to like best. Compare the wil- 
 low and the cedar; the birch and the hackberry; the 
 cottonwood and the liveoak. 
 
 7. FRUITS. 
 
 a. Tree fruits. 
 
 b. Bush fruits. 
 C. Vine fruits. 
 
 d. Special study of the wild fruits. The dewberry, wild 
 
 grape, persimmon, and algerita are good examples for 
 study. Note the methods of reproduction, age and 
 season of bearing, kind of flowers borne, etc. 
 
 e. Plant wild grape vines and persimmon trees on the school 
 
 grounds. 
 
 8. VEGETABLES. Special study of the cabbage and tomato as to 
 
 a. Production of plants in hotbeds; 
 
 b. Size of transplanting. 
 
 c. Kind of soil adapted to growing. 
 
 d. Preparation of soil for transplanting. 
 
 e. Method of transplanting. 
 
 f. Cultivation and care of plants. 
 
 g. Varieties. 
 
 h. Uses of crop. 
 
 i. Packing, shipping and marketing. 
 
 j. Enemies and their control. 
 
 II. ANIMAL LIFE. 
 
 1. FARM AXJMALS. The characteristics of the different breeds 
 of farm animals may be taught very effectively by the use 
 of pictures obtained from agricultural bulletins, newspapers, 
 experiment stations, breeders, etc. Every rural teacher 
 should procure a large number of these for the work. If 
 there are any pure bred animals in the community, take 
 the class out to see them. Study and compare them with 
 
Nature Study and Agriculture for Rural Schools of Texas 39 
 
 other animals. Study carefully the animals in the pictures 
 and compare them with animals in the community. 
 
 2. USE or CLIPPINGS AND PICTURES. Have children take clip- 
 
 pings and pictures from every available source. Mount 
 each picture on cardboard, find a clipping describing the 
 picture, and paste it on the back of the mount. 
 
 3. ANIMAL CENSUS OF THE DISTRICT. 
 
 4. EVALUATION OF LIVE STOCK. Have each child get figures 
 
 from his father giving the approximate value of the herds 
 of different classes of farm animals on his own farm. Let 
 him determine the average value of the individual animals 
 and the total value of live stock reported. 
 
 5. BARNS. Look into the farm accommodations for live stock. 
 
 Observe very carefully the plans and construction of the 
 best barn near enough to visit. If it is possible to visit 
 a barn under process of construction, do so. Note very 
 carefully the plans, materials used, source of materials, 
 names and locations of different parts, such as joists, raft- 
 ers, studding, sleepers, sills, etc. Note conveniences and 
 labor-saving devices. 
 
 6. BIRDS. 
 
 a. Poultry. 
 
 1. Types of chickens. 
 
 a. Egg type. 
 
 b. Meat type. 
 
 c. Game type. 
 
 2. Name two prominent breeds under each type. 
 
 3. Types and breeds known to the students. 
 
 4. Types and breeds most profitable to the farmer. 
 
 5. Value of turkeys and chickens as insect destroyers. 
 
 6. Cost of keeping a chicken a year if kept in chicken 
 
 lot. 
 
 7. Number of eggs a hen must lay to pay her board, 
 
 when eggs are worth 20 cents per dozen. 
 
 8. Cold storage eggs. 
 
 9. Shipping eggs by parcels post. 
 
40 Bulletin of the University of Texas 
 
 b. Wild birds. 
 
 1. Water birds. 
 
 a. Swimming birds. Ducks, geese, terns, 
 
 grebes, loons, gulls, pelicans, etc. 
 
 b. Wading birds. Storks, bitterns, herons, 
 
 cranes, rails, gallinules, etc. 
 
 2. Shore birds. Phalaropes, stilts, snipes, sandpip- 
 
 ers, curlew, killdeer, plover, etc. 
 
 3.* Game birds. Grouse, quail, partridge, prairie hen, 
 pheasant, dove, etc. 
 
 4. Birds of prey. Eagles, vultures, hawks, and owls. 
 
 5. Land birds other than game birds. Warblers, 
 
 sparrows, cuckoos, woodpeckers, thrushes, black- 
 birds, swallows, wrens, tanagers, buntings, 
 finches, fly catchers, thrushes, chickadees, nut- 
 hatches, titmice, vireos, etc. 
 
 6. Learn to recognize and name a few swimming and 
 
 wading birds and as large a number of the 
 others as is possible. Study the food habits of 
 all the birds and their relation to all life. 
 
 7. Study in detail the mockingbird, blue jay, wood 
 
 pewee, cliff swallow, and other birds. Assign 
 a different bird to each two students and let 
 them report their observations in full. 
 
 7. INSECTS. Every child who lives in the country knows that 
 the cabbage worm causes a great deal of trouble and heavy 
 losses. He knows, too, that apples and plums are "faulty" 
 when they drop off in large numbers before maturity, but 
 he does not know the real cause of this dropping. He does 
 not know tnat there is such a thing as a codling moth, or 
 a plum curculio, or, if he does know, he does not know how 
 to combat them. He has no idea about the damage done 
 annually by the insects in the United States. If he were 
 told that grasshoppers cost the nation more than $50,000,000 
 yearly, he would scarcely believe it. Study carefully the 
 relation existing between the insect and the plant world. 
 a. Insect pests. 
 
 1. List of insect pests of the most common crops. 
 
Nature Study and Agriculture for Rural Schools of Texas 41 
 
 2. Probable amount of damage done in the com- 
 
 munity. 
 
 3. Best methods of eradication. 
 
 b. Beneficial insects. 
 
 1. List of beneficial insects in the community. 
 
 2. Ways in which they are beneficial. 
 
 3. Means of protecting. 
 
 4. Study the honey bee, bumble bee, lady bug, ich- 
 
 neumon fly, dragon fly, etc. 
 
 c. Insects injurious to health. Continue the study of the 
 
 house fly, mosquito, flea, bedbug, lice, and red bug or 
 chigger. 
 
 d. Other household insects and methods of combating them. 
 
 Cockroach, clothes moth, ants, etc. 
 
 e. Spiders. Habits, food, methods of procuring food, egg 
 
 bag, number of eggs in bag, kinds of spiders, etc. 
 Study also the related forms, the tarantula, centipede, 
 and scorpion. 
 
 f. Brief study of sprays and spraying as means of controll- 
 
 ing insect pests. 
 
 8. EARTHWORMS. 
 
 a. Follow the outline suggested for the previous grade, study- 
 
 ing more carefully the food, time of feeding, and rela- 
 tion to the soil. 
 
 b. The earthworn as a subsoiler. 
 
 c. Eelation to humus content of soil. 
 
 d. As a soil aerator. 
 
 9. BAT. 
 
 a. Peculiar characteristics of the bat. 
 
 1. Kind of coat. 
 
 2. Kind of feet. 
 
 3. Wings. 
 
 4. Mammalian feature. 
 
 b. Food of bats. 
 
 c. Time of feeding. 
 
 d. Hibernation during winter. 
 
 e. Place of rest during the day. 
 
42 Bulletin of tlu University of Texas 
 
 f. Capture a bat and place it in a cage for study. Study 
 its food habits by having the children collect food and 
 feed it. 
 
 10. SNAKES, LIZARDS, TERRAPINS, FROGS, ETC. Continue the 
 study of these and other animal forms. Study carefully 
 the food habits of frogs and snakes. Make a list of the 
 poison snakes found in Texas. 
 
 III. SANITATION AND HYGIENE. 
 
 General problems of cleanliness around the school and home ; the 
 water supply; sewage disposal; garbage disposal; location 
 of the barn and poultry yard with relation to the house; 
 location of the well with relation to all other buildings. 
 
 IV. HOME GROUNDS. 
 
 Make a plan of the home grounds locating the buildings, fences, 
 walks, drives, trees, shrubbery, and flowers. Discuss the 
 preparation of the ground for planting trees, shrubs, and 
 flowers; kinds to plant and where to get 'them; planting; 
 arrangement and care. 
 
 V. SCHOOL GROUNDS. 
 
 Draw a plan of the school grounds locating the walks, trees, shrub- 
 bery, flowers, and well. Discuss the plans, criticise the 
 present situation, and make suggestions for a better plan. 
 
 VI. SPANISH MISSIONS. 
 
 Stories of the founding of the missions, their construction, pur- 
 pose, etc., to give the child a greater appreciation of their 
 early influence for good. 
 
Nature Study and Agriculture for Rural Schools of Texas 43 
 
 SIXTH GRADE 
 
 "Xature study, while standing in its own light, should greatly 
 enrich, elucidate, and vitalize the other studies. If properly han- 
 dled, it should gradually give place to the services and vocations 
 which it has served to develop and to introduce." 
 
 The nature study in the sixth grade should take on more eco- 
 nomic features and should become more closely related to agri- 
 culture. The work, if properly taught, will be gradually merged 
 into agriculture. The child should be placed more largely on his 
 own resources, should be given more freedom of study, and more 
 responsibility. His thought should be directed along economic 
 lines in so far as is deemed wise, but the teacher must not lose 
 sight of the fact that the economic phase is not the all-important 
 phase of the work. He must be so taught that he will see and 
 appreciate the beautiful in nature, and thus be equipped to live 
 more fully and completely. 
 
 I. GAKDENTNG. 
 
 1. CUTTINGS. Make cuttings of the geranium, coleus, begonia, 
 
 etc., and propagate them in flower pots. 
 
 2. THE FLOWER GARDEN. Plan a flower garden. Study the 
 
 methods of propagation, the care and cultivation of the 
 flowers to be grown in it. 
 
 3. FLOWER FESTIVAL. Plan a flower festival for the school and 
 
 show the parents the results of competitive flower gardening. 
 Each student should take part in the flower festival and 
 should exhibit only his own flowers. 
 
 4. MARKETING FLOWERS. If convenient to a city, interest the 
 
 children in supplying flowering plants and flowers to the 
 florists. 
 
 5. VEGETABLES. 
 
 a. Early, hardy. Asparagus, rhubarb, beet, cabbage, carrot, 
 cauliflower, lettuce, radishes, peas, onions, potatoes, 
 parsnips, etc. ' 
 
44 Bulletin of the University of Texas 
 
 b. f Late, tender. Corn, beans, tomatoes, peppers, cucum- 
 bers, etc. 
 
 6. HOT BEDS. Construction of hot beds for vegetable garden- 
 
 ing. Have the boys construct one on the school ground to 
 grow plants for early planting in the school or home garden. 
 
 7. COLD FRAMES. Construction and use. 
 
 8. ADAPTATION OF VEGETABLES. Study the vegetables best 
 
 adapted to growth in the community. 
 
 9. VEGETABLES FOR EARLY MARKETS. Special study of radishes 
 
 and lettuce for the early market. Other vegetables may be 
 studied according to their importance in the community. 
 
 10. TOMATOES AND CABBAGE. Eeview the cultivation, and study 
 
 the care and handling. 
 
 11. POTATOES. Special study of the Irish and sweet potatoes as 
 
 to soil conditions, planting, cultivation, harvesting, yield, 
 storing, and marketing. 
 
 12. BEANS AND PEAS. Careful study of these and their effect 
 
 upon the fertility of the soil. 
 
 13. GARDENING IMPLEMENTS. Study the use and care of all tools 
 
 used in cultivating the garden. 
 
 14. INSECT PESTS. Careful study of the insects injurious to 
 
 garden crops. 
 
 15. FUNGUS .DISEASES. Brief study as to the damage done, the 
 
 spread, and the control. 
 
 16. INCOME FROM CROPS. Compare the income from an acre of 
 
 potatoes with the income from an acre of cotton ; beans ; 
 peas. 
 
 II. FIELD CROPS. 
 
 1. THE CORN CROP. 
 
 a. Number of acres planted on each farm. 
 
 b. Average yield per acre. 
 
 c. Number of acres planted in Texas. 
 
Nature Study and Agriculture for Rural Schools of Texas 45 
 
 d. Average yield per acre. 
 
 e. Average yield of corn club boys. 
 
 f. Get information on growing one acre of corn from the 
 
 United States Department of Agriculture. Study care- 
 fully the best methods of plowing the land; time and 
 rate of planting ; habit of growth of plant ; cultivation ; 
 harvesting and utilization of crop. Compare the cul- 
 tivation advocated by the United States Department of 
 Agriculture with the cultivation practiced on farms 
 with which you are familiar. 
 
 g. Interest the children further in pure-bred grains. Select 
 
 samples of ten ears each from the acre grown the pre- 
 ceding year and samples from the other fields grown 
 on the same farm. Compare. 
 
 2. OATS, WHEAT, BARLEY, KAFIR CORN, MILO MAIZE, FETERITA,. 
 
 AND RICE. Brief study of each to familiarize students with 
 the crops, their habits of growth, and their uses. 
 
 3. THE COTTON CROP. 
 
 a. Importance in Texas. 
 
 b. Preparation of land for planting. 
 
 c. Time of planting. 
 
 d. Cultivation and care. 
 
 e. Time of harvesting. 
 
 f. Uses of the crop. 
 
 g. Enemies and their control, 
 h. Method of harvesting. 
 
 i. Care and handling after harvesting. 
 
 4. THE CLOVERS. 
 
 a. Identification of all the wild and cultivated clovers. 
 
 b. Importance to the farm. 
 
 c. Uses of the different clovers. 
 
 d. Value of each as a nitrogen storer. 
 
 e. The bumble bee in relation to seed production. 
 
 5. ALFALFA, COWPEAS, AND SOY BEANS. 
 
 a. Habit of growth. 
 
 b. Uses of crop. 
 
 c. Care and handling. 
 
46 Bulletin of the University of Texas 
 
 6. GRASSES. Care, importance, economic value of each in Texas 
 
 meadows and pastures. 
 
 7. WEEDS. 
 
 a. List of weeds most troublesome on the farm. 
 
 b. Weeds injurious to the garden. 
 
 c. Collect samples of seeds from twenty-five noxious weeds 
 
 and learn to identify the weed by its seed. 
 
 d. Examine samples of wheat, clover, and alfalfa for weed 
 
 seed. 
 
 e. Classify all weeds studied according to their length of life 
 
 and tell ways in which they cause harm. 
 
 f. Study the habit of growth, manner of dissemination and 
 
 method of eradication of some of the worst weeds. 
 
 8. TREES. 
 
 a. Valuable for timber. 
 
 1. Study the school building and its furniture, nam- 
 ing the trees from which the lumber was made. 
 2: Kinds of lumber used in farm buildings. 
 
 3. Timber used for fencing. 
 
 4. The black locust for post timber. 
 
 b. Rate at which our timber trees are disappearing. 
 
 c. Trees used for shade and ornamental purposes. 
 
 d. Planting trees. 
 
 e. Care of trees, giving special emphasis to pruning and 
 
 spraying. 
 
 f. Enemies of trees. Insects, borers, forest fires, man, etc. 
 
 g. Forest preservation and reforestation. 
 
 9. FRUITS. Their culture and uses. 
 
 a. Pome fruits. Apple, pear, quince. 
 
 b. Stone fruits. Peach, plum, cherry. 
 
 c. Citrus fruits. Orange, grape, lime, lemon, etc. 
 
 d. Bush fruits. Dewberry, blackberry, gooseberry, currant, 
 
 etc. 
 
 e. Nut fruits. Pecan, walnut, hickory nut, etc. 
 
 f. Grapes, strawberries, figs, and persimmons. 
 
 g. Enemies of fruit-bearing plants and fruit, and their 
 
 control. 
 
Nature Study and Agriculture for Rural Schools of Texas 47 
 
 III. ANIMAL LIFE. 
 
 1. FARM ANIMALS. Continue the study of types and breeds 
 as suggested for the fifth grade. Encourage the boys to 
 feed a pig or a calf for the market. Have a live stock show 
 at the school building, and have each student exhibit poul- 
 try, pigs, calves, cows, or any other form of live stock com- 
 petitively. Have a competent judge place the animals in 
 each class and award prizes or ribbons. 
 
 a. Cattle. Beef, dairy, and dual purpose. 
 
 b. Horses. Draft, coach, and roadster. 
 
 c. Pigs. Bacon and lard type. 
 
 d. Sheep. Fine wool, mutton, and dual purpose. 
 
 e. Goats. Milk, and those bred for fleece. 
 
 f. Care of live stock. 
 
 1. Good barn accommodations with reference to 
 
 warmth, light, ventilation, and cleanliness. 
 
 2. Exercise, watering, and grooming. 
 
 3. Treatment of common diseases. 
 
 4. Dehorning cattle. 
 
 a. Advantage. 
 
 b. Methods'. 
 
 5. Live stock sanitation on the farm. 
 
 a. Care of stalls. 
 
 b. Necessity of clean water. 
 
 c. Danger of ponds and pools as watering 
 
 places, etc. 
 
 g. Feeds and feeding. 
 
 1. Kinds of feed used. 
 
 2. Conveniences for feeding. 
 
 3. Time and manner of feeding. 
 
 4. Amount of feed required daily for different 
 
 animals. 
 
 5. Estimated cost of feeding a horse for one year. 
 
 6. Cost of feeding a cow for one year. 
 
 7. Become familiar with such terms as protein, car- 
 
 bohydrates, fats, etc. Learn what is meant by 
 balanced ration, nutrition, etc. 
 
48 Bulletin of the University of Texas 
 
 h. Dairying. 
 
 1. Breeds of dairy cattle. 
 
 2. Breed most prominent in your community. 
 
 3. Milk-producing ration for the dairy cow. 
 
 4. Sanitary conditions around the dairy. 
 
 5. Clean handling of milk. 
 
 6. Testing milk for butter fat. 
 
 7. Cream separation. 
 
 8. Selling the dairy products. 
 
 9. The silo as related to the dairy. 
 
 2. BIRDS. 
 
 a. Poultry. 
 
 1. Types of chickens. 
 
 2. Most important breeds of each type. 
 
 3. Characteristics and habits of the more prominent 
 
 breeds. 
 
 4. General principles of poultry management. 
 
 a. Season to hatch so that pullets will become 
 
 winter layers. 
 
 b. Food necessary to egg production. 
 
 c. Best age for selling male birds. 
 
 d. Age at which hens usually cease to be 
 
 profitable. 
 
 e. Use of incubators in the poultry industry. 
 
 f. Care of young chicks. 
 
 g. Care of full grown birds. 
 
 h. Diseases of poultry, their prevention and 
 
 cure, 
 i. Poultry houses. 
 
 b. Wild birds. 
 
 1. Birds that feed almost wholly on insects. Swal- 
 
 lows, woodpeckers, wrens, etc. 
 
 2. Birds feeding on both vegetable and animal food. 
 
 Blue jay, catbird, robin, mockingbird, etc. 
 
 3. Birds that feed largely on weed seed. The spar- 
 
 rows, finches, doves, meadow larks, and quails. 
 
 4. Birds that eat the cotton boll weevil. More than 
 
 thirty birds are known to feed on the cotton 
 
Nature Study and Agriculture for Rural Schools of Texas 49 
 
 boll weevil in Texas. Many others probably aid 
 the farmer in holding this pest in check. The 
 swallows, nighthawks, blackbirds, meadow larks, 
 orioles, quails, and others feed heavily on it at 
 certain seasons of the year. 
 
 5. Birds that live almost wholly on rodents. Some 
 
 of our hawks and owls. 
 
 6. Study the food habits of all the resident and 
 
 migratory birds and determine their economic 
 value to the community. 
 
 7. Enemies of birds and their control. Man, snakes, 
 
 cats, minks, foxes, English sparrows, etc. 
 
 8. Practicums. 
 
 a. Allowing one bird to each acre, and one- 
 
 fourth ounce of weed seed for each bird 
 daily, how many pounds of weed seed 
 would the birds on a one hundred-acre 
 farm eat in three months? 
 
 b. Mocking birds have been known to feed 
 
 their young one hundred and eighteen to 
 one hundred and fifty times daily, and 
 it is a common thing for a wren to feed 
 its young two hundred times daily. The 
 food of all nestlings is insects. Allowing 
 a pair of birds for every two acres, and 
 two hundred insects daily for each nest, 
 how many insects would be destroyed on 
 a one hundred-acre farm in one month? 
 
 3. AQUATIC AND SEMI-AQUATIC ANIMAL LIFE. 
 
 a. Brief study of the fish in the streams of Texas. Study 
 
 the kinds; time of spawning; food habits; peculiar 
 characteristics ; best season for fishing ; game laws pro- 
 tecting in other states ; lack of protection in Texas, etc. 
 
 b. Brief study of alligators, crocodiles, whales, and other 
 
 forms, 
 c^ Frogs. Food habits, life history, etc. 
 
50 Bulletin of the University of Texas 
 
 4. INSECTS. 
 
 a. Pests. 
 
 1. List of insects most injurious to growing crops. 
 
 2. Insects injurious to stored grain. 
 
 3. Common garden insects. 
 
 4. Insects injurious to the orchard. 
 
 5. Insects injurious to live stock. 
 
 6. Enemies of public health. 
 
 7. Household pests. 
 
 b. Classification of insects as regards manner of obtaining 
 
 food. 
 
 1. Sucking insects. 
 
 2. Biting or gnawing insects. 
 
 c. Control. 
 
 1. Natural enemies: birds, toads, frogs, lizards, 
 
 spiders, other insects, etc. 
 
 2. Spraying. 
 
 a. 'For sucking insects; kerosene emulsion, 
 
 whale oil soap, and sometimes lime sul- 
 phur is effective. 
 
 b. For gnawing insects: Paris green, arsenate 
 
 of lead, hellebore, etc. 
 
 3. Fumigation. 
 
 a. For stored grains: carbon bisulphide or hy- 
 
 drocyanic acid gas. 
 
 b. For deep-borers: squirt a small amount of 
 
 carbon bisulphide in the holes and stop 
 up with putty. 
 
 c. For woolly aphis, root louse of apple, phyl- 
 
 loxera or any scale or sucking insects on 
 young plants for transplanting, fumigate 
 with hydrocyanic acid gas. 
 
 d. Demonstration of fumigation methods may 
 
 be given by the teacher. Students should 
 not be allowed to handle any poisons 
 through this grade. 
 
 4. Shallow-boring insects may be dug out from under 
 
 the bark with a sharp knife. 
 
Nature Study and Agriculture for Rural Schools of Texas 51 
 
 d. Cost of control. Compare cost of control with the amount 
 
 of damage done annually. 
 
 e. Beneficial insects. 
 
 1. Make a list of insects helpful to man. 
 
 2. Ways in which they are helpful. 
 
 3. Protection of beneficial insects. 
 
 f. Become familiar with the life histories of all of the most 
 
 troublesome insect pests. 
 
 g. Make a collection of insects for the school-room. Mount 
 
 those that may be kept in mounts, and preserve others 
 in formalin solutions or alcohol. 
 
 IV. MAKE PLANS FOR VACATION WORK BEFOEE 
 LEAVING SCHOOL. 
 
 Each student should have one or more projects and should have 
 his work on these carefully outlined for the summer. 
 
 V. PLANS OF IDEAL COUNTRY HOUSE WITH WATER, 
 
 LIGHTS AND SEWAGE. 
 
 VI. PLAN OF THE HOME GROUNDS AS YOU WOULD 
 
 LIKE THEM. 
 
52 Bulletin of the University of Texas 
 
 SEVENTH GRADE 
 
 The work in the seventh grade should be given as elementary 
 agriculture. The state-adopted text, Ferguson and Lewis's "Ele- 
 mentary Principles of Agriculture," should form the basis of work. 
 This should be supplemented largely by readings from other texts 
 and a large amount of bulletin work. There are a large number 
 of texts on elementary agriculture published today, and an abun- 
 dance of usable material in the form of farmers' bulletins and 
 other bulletins and circulars issued by the United States Depart- 
 ment of Agriculture and the experiment stations of the various 
 states. Each school in Texas should receive also some good farm 
 papers and one good daily paper. One good farm paper, one of the 
 semi-weeklies with a farm department, and one poultry journal 
 should be placed on the reading desk of every rural school regu- 
 larly and the students should be encouraged to read them. 
 
 I. SOIL. 
 
 1. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES. 
 
 a. Origin. Directly or indirectly from the disintegration of 
 
 rocks. Disintegration is caused by prolonged action of 
 heat, cold, air, water, frost, etc., and by low forms of 
 animal and vegetable life. 
 
 b. Classification of soils with reference to origin. 
 
 1. Sedentary soils. 
 
 2. Transported soils. 
 
 a. Agencies of transportation. 
 
 b. Ends of transported soils. 
 
 c. Classification of soils with reference to their constituents. 
 
 1. Sandy soils. 
 
 2. Clay soils. 
 
 3. Loamy soils, etc. 
 
 d. Classification of soils with reference to moisture. 
 
 1. Arid. 
 
 2. Semi-arid. 
 
 3. Humid. 
 
Nature Study and Agriculture for Rural Schools of Texas 53 
 
 e. Soil temperature. 
 
 1. Influenced by color of soil. 
 
 2. Influenced by fineness of soil particles. 
 
 3. Exposure. 
 
 4. Drainage. 
 
 f . Soil moisture. 
 
 1. Kinds. Hygroscopic, capillary, and hydrostatic. 
 
 2. Kinds utilized by plants. 
 
 3. Kind of soil losing or absorbing moisture most 
 
 readily. 
 
 a. Effects of different kinds of cultivation on 
 
 soil moisture. 
 
 b. Best methods of conserving. 
 
 c. Function of soil moisture. 
 
 g. Irrigation. 
 
 1. Methods of applying water. 
 
 2. Benefits of irrigation, 
 h. Drainage. 
 
 1. Kinds of drains. 
 
 2. Benefits of drainage, 
 i. Careful study of subsoil. 
 
 2. CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF THE SOIL. 
 
 a. Elements present in the soil carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, 
 
 potassium, phosphorus, nitrogen, sulphur, lime, iron, 
 magnesium, silica, etc. 
 
 b. Eelative importance of each element. 
 
 c. Elements abundant in the soil. 
 
 d. Special study of lime, potash, phosphorus and nitrogen, 
 
 and their relation to farm products. 
 
 e. Alkali and acid soils. 
 
 1. Tests for acidity. 
 
 2. Effect on crops. 
 
 3. Neutralization. 
 
 f. Humus. Decaying organic matter composed of carbon, 
 
 hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, mineral elements, etc. 
 1. Importance of humus. 
 
 a. Nitrogen supply. 
 
 b. Mineral plant food supply. 
 
54 Bulletin of the University of Texas 
 
 c. Effect on retention of moisture. 
 
 d. Source of warmth. 
 
 e. Improver of texture. 
 
 f. Aid to bacteria and other micro-organic 
 
 growth in soil. 
 
 g. Preventive of washing and leaching. 
 
 3. SOIL FERTILITY. 
 
 a. Causes for decreased production of soils. 
 
 1. Loss of the essential plant food elements. 
 
 2. Loss of humus. 
 
 3. Poor physical condition of soil. 
 
 b. How constituents are lost. 
 
 1. Continued growth of tilled crops. 
 
 2. Leaching. 
 
 3. Washing. 
 
 c. Commercial plant food. 
 
 1. Nitrogen. 
 
 2. Phosphorus. 
 
 3. Potassium. 
 
 d. Source of fertilizers. Emphasize the use of leguminous 
 
 crops for nitrogen; the use of ground rock phosphate 
 and agricultural lime. 
 
 e. Humus. 
 
 1. Loss of humus. 
 
 2. Increase of humus content. 
 
 a. Green manures. 
 
 b. Farm manures. 
 
 c. Accumulations in pasturing. 
 
 f. Barnyard manures. 
 
 1. Value (factors influencing). 
 
 2. Amount produced by farm animals. 
 
 3. Care and handling of manures. 
 
 4. Application of manure. 
 
 g. Green manuring. 
 
 1. Importance. 
 
 2. Kind of crops used. 
 
 h. Careful study of the needs of Texas soils. 
 
Nature Study and A griculture for Rural Schools of Texas 55 
 
 4. ROTATION OF CROPS AND CONSERVATION OF SOIL FERTILITY. 
 
 a. Purpose of crop rotation. 
 
 b. Advantages. 
 
 c. Plan of rotation for your community. 
 
 5. PREPARATION OF SOILS FOR CROPS. 
 
 a. Time of plowing. 
 
 b. Depth of plowing. 
 
 c. Methods of cultivation after plowing. 
 
 d. Object of cultivation. 
 
 1. To improve physical condition. 
 
 2. Conserve soil moisture. 
 
 3. Destroy weeds. 
 
 4. Destroy insect pests. 
 
 5. Aid in liberating plant food. 
 
 II. PLANTS. 
 
 1. PLANT STRUCTURE. 
 
 a. The cell the unit of structure. 
 
 b. Structure and function of stem, roots, leaves, flower and 
 
 seed. 
 
 1. Compare structure of monocotyledons and di- 
 cotyledons. 
 
 c. Structure and habits of a typical fungus. 
 
 d. Reproduction in plants. 
 
 1. Spores. 
 
 2. Seed. ' 
 
 3. Vegetative. 
 
 2. SEED STUDY. 
 
 a. Collect seeds of all the grain and forage crops growing 
 
 in the district, classifying as follows: 
 
 1. Seeds from strong, healthy plants. 
 
 2. Seeds from weak plants. 
 
 b. Test samples of each for 
 
 1. Purity. 
 
 2. Vitality. 
 
 3. Effect on germination. 
 
 a. Different types of soil. 
 
56 Bulletin of the University of Texas 
 
 b. Size of seeds. 
 
 c. Age of seeds. 
 
 d. Character of plant from which seed is taken. 
 
 e. Depth of seeding. 
 
 f. Moisture. 
 
 g. Temperature, 
 h. Air. 
 
 c. Importance of seed selection in improving crops. 
 
 d. Best method of selecting seed grain. 
 
 e. Importance of proper curing and storage. 
 
 f. Value of germination test. 
 
 3. FARM CROPS. 
 a. Corn. 
 
 1. History and types. 
 
 2. Varieties grown in Texas. 
 
 a. Boone County White. 
 
 b. White and yellow gourd seed. 
 
 c. Munson. 
 
 d. Hickory King. 
 
 e. Laguna. 
 
 3. Corn judging by the use of score card adopted 
 
 by Texas State Corn Growers' Association. 
 
 4. Method and value of testing seed for germination. 
 
 5. Study of corn plant. 
 
 a. Boot system. Extent of feeding. 
 
 b. Stem typical monocotyledons. 
 
 c. Flowers. 
 
 1. Tassel-staminate. 
 
 2. Ear-pistillate. 
 
 6. Plowing corn. Time, depth, etc. 
 
 7. Preparation of seed bed. 
 
 8. Planting. Time, distance, depth, etc. 
 
 9. Cultivation. 
 
 a. How to cultivate. 
 
 b. Time to cultivate. 
 
 c. Shallow against deep cultivation. 
 
Mature Study and Agriculture for Rural Schools of Texas 57 
 
 10. Selecting seed corn. 
 
 a. Importance of selecting. 
 
 b. Method of selecting. 
 
 c. Time to select. 
 
 11. Harvesting corn. 
 
 a. Degree of maturity for silage. 
 
 b. Degree of maturity for fodder. 
 
 c. Degree of maturity for ears only. 
 
 d. Decrease in yield from pulling fodder and 
 
 topping corn. 
 
 12. Care of crop after harvesting. 
 
 13. Uses of crop. 
 
 a. Feed for live stock. 
 
 b. Human food. 
 
 c. Commercial products. 
 
 14. Yield of corn. 
 
 a. Acreage for the United States. 
 
 b. Average yield per acre. 
 
 c. Acreage for Texas. 
 
 d. Average yield per acre. 
 
 15. Methods of corn improvement. 
 
 a. Seed selection in the field. 
 
 b. Corn breeding. 
 
 16. Enemies of corn control measures, 
 b. Cotton. 
 
 1. History and types. 
 
 2. Principal Texas varieties. 
 
 a. Mebane. 
 
 b. King. 
 
 c. Eussel. 
 
 d. Rowden. 
 
 3. Study of the cotton plant. 
 
 a. The stem, roots, branches, flowers, and boils. 
 
 b. The lint and seed. 
 
 4. Cotton cultivation. 
 
 a. Plowing. Time, depth, method of prepar- 
 
 ing land, etc. 
 
 b. Testing the seed for germination; method 
 
 and importance of. 
 
58 Bulletin of the University of Texas 
 
 Planting. Time, distance, depth, etc. 
 Tillage. Methods, time, depth, frequency, 
 
 etc. 
 e. Fertilizers for cotton. 
 
 5. Selecting seed cotton. 
 
 a. Importance of selecting. 
 
 b. How to select seed. 
 
 c. Time to select seed. 
 
 6. Harvesting, marketing and storing. 
 
 a. Picking and ginning cotton. 
 
 b. The commercial classes or grades of cotton. 
 
 c. Marketing. Time, method, etc. 
 
 d. Storing. In the open, under sheds, ware- 
 
 houses, etc. 
 
 7. Uses of cotton. 
 
 a. Fibre. Clothing and shelter. 
 
 b. Human food. Cotton seed, flour and oil. 
 
 c. Feed for live stock. 
 
 8. Cotton statistics. 
 
 a. The total cotton crop of the world. 
 
 b. 'Acreage, yield and value of cotton crop in 
 
 the United States. 
 
 c. Acreage, yield and value of cotton crop in 
 
 in Texas. 
 
 9. Methods of cotton improvement. 
 
 a. Seed selection i,n the field. 
 
 b. The seed patch. 
 
 10. Cotton insects. Boll weevil, boll worm, cotton- 
 
 leaf worm, etc. 
 
 11. Cotton diseases. Root rot, cotton wilt, etc. 
 c. Wheat. 
 
 1. Origin and importance. 
 
 2. Name and locate the leading wheat-producing 
 
 states. 
 
 3. Preparation of seed bed. 
 
 4. Sowing. Depth, distance between drills and 
 
 amount per acre. 
 
 5. Cultivation after sowing. 
 
 6. Conditions favorable to wheat crop. 
 
Nature Study and Agriculture for Rural Schools of Texas 59 
 
 7. Pasturing wheat. How injurious. 
 
 8. Degree of maturity for harvesting. 
 
 9. Method of handling wheat before threshing. 
 
 10. Threshing. 
 
 11. Care of stored grain and marketing. 
 
 12. Products of wheat kernel/ 
 
 13. Value of wheat crop. 
 
 14. Yield in Texas. ' 
 
 15. Cost of production. 
 
 16. Enemies of wheat crop. 
 
 cl. Oats, barley, and rye. Study under outline suggested for 
 
 wheat, 
 e. Alfalfa. 
 
 1. Varieties. 
 
 2. Study of the alfalfa plant. 
 
 a. Root system. Length, depth and nodules. 
 
 b. Leaf. Number of leaves and leaflets. 
 
 c. Stem. Length, size, and general appear- 
 
 ance. 
 
 d. Examine seed for impurities. 
 
 e. Learn to recognize the seed of alfalfa. 
 
 f. Test seed for germination. 
 
 3. Sowing alfalfa. 
 
 a. Time of sowing. Fall versus spring. 
 
 b. Kind of seed bed. 
 
 c. Method of sowing. 
 
 4. Time to cut alfalfa. 
 
 5. Making hay. 
 
 6. Number of cuttings per season. 
 
 7. Amount of hay per acre. 
 
 8. Value of hay as food for live stock. 
 
 9. Production of alfalfa seed. 
 
 a. Threshing. 
 
 b. Yield per acre. 
 
 c. Price per bushel. 
 
 10. Relation of alfalfa to soil fertility. 
 
 a. Nitrogen supply. 
 
 b. Liming the soil for alfalfa. 
 
 c. Replacing phosphorus and potassium. 
 
60 Bulletin of the University of Texas 
 
 f. Clovers, vetches, cowpeas, and soy beans. Study under 
 
 outline suggested for alfalfa. 
 
 g. Grasses for hay : millet, Johnson grass, Sudan grass, rescue 
 
 grass, etc. 
 
 1. Study of seed as outlined for alfalfa. 
 
 2. Preparation of seed bed. 
 
 3. Seeding. 
 
 a. Time to sow. 
 
 b. Amount per acre. 
 
 c. Method of sowing. 
 
 4. Length of time from seeding to first hay crop. 
 
 5. Time to cut for hay. 
 
 6. Curing and caring for hay. 
 
 7. Amount produced per acre. 
 
 8. Value as a feed. 
 
 9. Care of meadows. 
 
 10. Length of life of meadows. 
 
 h. Grasses used for pastures. Bermuda, mesquite, buffalo, 
 rescue grasses, etc. 
 
 1. Value of permanent pastures. 
 
 2. Care of pastures. 
 
 3. Length of life, 
 i. Sorghums. 
 
 1. Kinds. 
 
 a. Saccharine. Amber, orange, goose neck, etc. 
 
 b. Non-saccharine. Kaffir, milo, feterita, kow- 
 
 liang, etc. 
 
 2. Preparation of seed bed. 
 
 3. Seeding. 
 
 4. Cultivation. 
 
 5. Uses of sorghum. 
 
 a. As human food. 
 
 b. Food for live stock. 
 
 6. Importance of sorghums in Texas, 
 j. Potatoes. 
 
 1. Brief history of the potato. 
 
 2. Kind of soil best suited to potato growing. 
 
 3. Preparation of seed bed. 
 *4. Selection of seed potatoes. 
 
Nature Study and Agriculture for Rural Schools of Texas 61 
 
 5. Cutting the seed. Number of eyes, etc. 
 
 6. Planting. Distance apart, depth, etc. 
 
 7. Cultivation and harvesting. 
 
 8. What is considered a good yield? Does your local- 
 
 ity produce a good yield? 
 
 9. Insect enemies of the potato. (Review life his- 
 
 tory of potato beetle.) 
 
 10. Diseases of the potato. Blight, rot, and scab. 
 
 11. Spraying. 
 
 a. For potato bug, use arsenate of lead or Paris 
 
 green. 
 
 b. For potato blight, use Bordeaux mixture. 
 
 12. Importance of rotation of crops in preventing rot 
 
 and scab. 
 
 13. Uses of the potato. 
 
 4. WEEDS. 
 
 a. Definition. 
 
 b. Ways in which weeds cause harm. 
 
 1. Reduce soil fertility. 
 
 2. Reduce soil moisture. 
 
 3. Shade and crowd growing crops. 
 
 4. Poisonous weeds cause loss of live stock. 
 
 5. Harbor insect pests and fungus diseases. 
 
 6. Immense amount of labor required in control- 
 
 ling weeds. 
 
 7. Presence of weed seeds lowers the price of threshed 
 
 ' grains. 
 
 c. Classification of weeds according to methods of repro- 
 
 duction. 
 
 1. By seed alone. Annuals. 
 
 2. By root alone. Horse radish. 
 
 3. By stem and seed. Crab grass. 
 
 4. By both root and seed. Johnson grass. 
 
 5. By stem and root. Berumda grass. 
 
 d. Classification according to methods of eradication. 
 
 e. Make a careful study of the weeds in the district, and 
 
 make a list of the (a) annuals; (b) biennials; (c) 
 perennials. 
 
62 Bulletin of the University of Texas 
 
 f. Collect seeds in small bottles from twenty annuals, five 
 
 biennials, and five perennials in the neighborhood. 
 
 g. Learn to recognize the weed by its seed. 
 
 h. Examine samples of alfalfa seed and millet seed, etc., for 
 weed seed. Make an estimate of the number of weed 
 seed per thousand of seed examined. 
 
 i. Agencies of weed dissemination. Wind, water, birds, ani- 
 mals, human beings, threshing outfits, railroads, weedy 
 seed grain, etc. 
 
 j. Weed control. 
 
 1. Select pure seed for the farm. 
 
 2. Never allow a weed to mature seed. 
 
 3. Have seed bed clean before planting any crop. 
 
 4. Plant crops that will hold weeds in check. 
 
 5. Proper rotation of crops, 
 k. Weed extermination. 
 
 1. Spraying for certain annuals. 
 
 2. Kerosene, gasoline, salt, etc., for certain peren- 
 
 nials. 
 
 3. Clean cultivation and summering fallow for all 
 
 weeds. 
 
 5. OBCHARDS. 
 
 a. Selecting the location with reference to drainage (air and 
 
 water) conditions, exposure, etc. 
 
 b. Careful study of the soil and the subsoil for orcharding. 
 
 c. Adaptation of pear, apple, etc., to certain soils. 
 
 d. List of varieties grown in the community. 
 
 e. Suggested list of apples, plums, and peaches for Texas.. 
 
 1. Apples. Summer: Astrachan, Early Harvest, Eed 
 
 June, Summer Queen, etc. Fall and winter: 
 Arkansas Black, Jonathan, Missouri Pippin, 
 Winesap, etc. 
 
 2. Plums. Burbank, Golden Beauty, Gonzales, Shire, 
 
 Happiness, Nona, etc. 
 
 3. Peaches. The cling varieties. Elberta, Mamie 
 
 Eoss, Onderdonk, etc. (Consult catalogue of 
 nearest nursery for varieties best suited to your 
 locality.) 
 
Nature Study and Agriculture for Rural Schools of Texas 63 
 
 f. Preparation of soil for planting. 
 
 1. Cultivation for good tilth in surface soil. 
 
 2. Subsoiling. Dynamiting and using subsoil plow. 
 
 3. Fertilization. 
 
 g. Laying out orchard, 
 h. Planting the trees. 
 
 1. Time to plant. 
 
 2. Boot pruning. 
 
 3. Top pruning. 
 
 4. How to plant properly, 
 i. Orchard soil management. 
 
 1. Orchard cropping. Advantages and disadvan- 
 
 tages. 
 
 2. Clean culture. Advantages. 
 
 3. Sod mulch. Advantages and disadvantages, 
 j. Propagation of fruits. 
 
 1. Cuttings. Hardwood and green cuttings. 
 
 2. Budding. T budding and ring budding. 
 
 3. Grafting. Whip (root) grafting and cleft graft- 
 
 ing. 
 
 4. Layerage. 
 k. Pruning. 
 
 1. Time to prune. 
 
 2. How to prune. 
 
 3. Effect on quality of fruit. 
 
 4. Effect on quantity of fruit. 
 1. Improvement of fruits. 
 
 1. Selection. 
 
 2. Crossing. 
 
 m. Insect enemies and their control. 
 
 1. Codling moth, San Jose scale, etc. 
 
 2. Spray with lime sulphur, Paris green, etc. 
 n. Fungus diseases and their control. 
 
 1. Mildew, scab, etc. 
 
 2. Spray with Bordeaux mixture, lime sulphur, etc. 
 o. Spraying. 
 
 1. Object of spraying. 
 
 2. Time to spray. 
 
64 Bulletin of the University of Texas 
 
 3. Kinds of sprays and how to mix. 
 
 4. Spraying machinery. 
 
 p. Economic value of birds and toads to the orchard. 
 
 III. FARM AMMALS. 
 
 1. HORSES. 
 
 a. Origin and brief history. 
 
 b. Types of horses. Draft, coach, roadster, saddle, and speed. 
 
 c. Breeds of horses. 
 
 d. Improvement of breeds. 
 
 e. Care and management. 
 
 f. Diseases. 
 
 g. Judging horses. Practical work in telling age and 
 
 judging. 
 
 2. CATTLE. 
 
 a. Origin and history. 
 
 b. Types and breeds. 
 
 1. Beef. Shorthorns, Hereford, Aberdeen Angus, 
 
 etc. 
 
 2. Dairy. Jersey, Guernsey, Holstein, etc. 
 
 3. Dual purpose. Brown Swiss, Devon, Red Polled, 
 
 etc. 
 
 c. Improvement of breeds. 
 
 d. Care and management. 
 
 e. Diseases. Special study of tuberculosis and the tuberculin 
 
 test. 
 
 f. Judging cattle. 
 
 g. Value of cattle in maintaining soil fertility. 
 
 3. SHEEP. 
 
 a. Native home. 
 
 b. Present distribution. 
 
 c. Types and breeds. 
 
 1. Fine wool. Merino, Rambouillet, Delaine, etc. 
 
 2. Middle wool. Southdown, Shropshire, Hamp- 
 
 shire, etc. 
 
 3. Long wool. Lincoln, Leicester, Cotswold. 
 
 d. Improvement of sheep. 
 
Nature Study and Agriculture for Rural Schools of Texas 65 
 
 e. Value of sheep in maintaining soil fertility and as reno- 
 
 vators of brush land. 
 
 f. Common diseases and their control. 
 
 g. Care and management of the herd. 
 
 4. HOGS. 
 
 a. History and distribution. 
 
 b. Types and breeds. 
 
 1. Bacon type. Large Yorkshire, Tamworth, Hamp- 
 
 shire, etc. 
 
 2. Lard types. Poland China, Berkshire, Chester 
 
 White. 
 
 c. Improvement of hogs. 
 
 d. Pure bred hogs and scrubs as to the cost of fattening. 
 
 e. Care and management. 
 
 f. Judging. 
 
 g. Common diseases and manner of treatment, 
 h. The brood sow. Care, shelter, and feed. 
 
 i. Care of growing pigs. 
 
 5. GOATS. 
 
 a. Brief study of goats and their relation to agricultural con- 
 ditions of Texas. 
 
 6. POULTRY. 
 
 a. Types and breeds. 
 
 1. Meat breeds: Cochin, Brahma, etc. 
 
 2. General purpose breeds: Plymouth Eock, Rhode 
 
 Island Red, etc. 
 
 3. Egg breeds : Leghorn, Minorca, etc. 
 
 4. Ornamental breeds: Bantam, Game, etc. 
 
 b. Care and management. 
 
 1. Location and construction of houses. 
 
 2. Houses should be floored, dry, well lighted, well 
 
 heated, and well ventilated. 
 
 3. Importance of cleanliness. 
 
 4. Spraying and whitewashing of poultry houses. 
 
 5. Feeding. Kind of feed, frequency, and amount 
 
 of feeding. 
 
 6. Improvement of poultry. 
 
66 Bulletin of the University of Texas 
 
 7. Raising chicks. 
 
 a. Hatching. Incubators as compared with 
 
 hens. 
 
 b. Raising. Brooders as compared with hens. 
 
 c. Feeding and care of chicks. 
 
 8. Preserving and marketing eggs. 
 
 9. Poultry diseases. 
 
 a. Common diseases and their treatment. 
 
 b. Loss caused by poultry diseases. 
 10. Insect pests. 
 
 a. Lice and mites. 
 
 b. Preventive measures. 
 
 7. FEEDS AND FEEDING. 
 
 a. Different kinds of feed used in community. 
 
 b. Materials used for f eed. 
 
 c. Composition of feeds. Water, ash, protein, fat, crude 
 
 fibre, nitrogen free extract. 
 
 d. Function of different nutrients. 
 
 e. Digestibility of different foods. 
 
 f. Foods classified as concentrates; roughages. 
 
 g. Uses of feed. Maintain animal, do work, and produce 
 
 growth. 
 
 h. Varying the food with the work, 
 i. Amount and kind of feed required for live stock under 
 
 various conditions, 
 j. Importance of succulent feeds, 
 k. Effect of feeding mouldy feeds. 
 1. Regularity of feeding, 
 m. Balanced ration. Work out balanced ration for different 
 
 kinds of live stock with feeds in the community. 
 
 8. DAIRYING. 
 
 a. Breeds of dairy cattle. 
 
 b. Breeds best adapted for Texas conditions. 
 
 c. Ration for dairy cow. 
 
 d. Relation of the silo to the dairy. 
 
 e. Location of the dairy barn with reference to other farm 
 
 buildings. 
 
Nature Study and Agriculture for Rural Schools of Texas 67 
 
 f. Location of the milk room with reference to the rest of 
 
 the barn. 
 
 g. Sanitary precautions. 
 
 1. Clean stables and watering places. 
 
 2. Keep cows in a cleanly condition. 
 
 3. Cleanliness of clothing and person of attendant. 
 
 4. Prompt removal of milk from stables. 
 
 5. Clean, bright milking pails and milk cans, 
 h. Care of milk and its products. 
 
 1. Cleanliness in handling. 
 
 2. Creaming. Shallow pan versus cream separator. 
 
 3. Eipening and churning cream. 
 
 4. Making and salting butter. 
 
 V Wrapping, packing, and marketing the butter, 
 i. Value of skim milk and buttermilk as a feed, 
 j. Babcock test. 
 
 1. Importance in building up herd. 
 
 2. Apparatus and material for making the test. 
 
 3. Method of making the test. 
 
 4. Testing the cream, whole milk, skim milk, and 
 
 buttermilk. 
 
 k. Importance of the dairy in maintaining and building up 
 soil fertility. 
 
 IV. GOOD ROADS. 
 
 1. Types of roads. Careful study of the types of roads in the 
 
 community. 
 
 2. Materials used in building. 
 
 3. Methods in building. 
 
 4. Elements that make up a good road. 
 
 5. Importance of drainage. 
 
 6. Character of the soil. Effect on the road. 
 
 7. Shell, gravel and limestone. Importance of each in road 
 
 building. 
 
 8. Dirt and pike roads. Comparison of cost and service of the 
 
 two. 
 
 9. Maintaining the road. 
 
 10. Road grading and road machinery. 
 
68 Bulletin of the University of Texas 
 
 11. Value of good roads to the community. 
 
 12. The good roads movement. 
 
 VII. FARM ARITHMETIC AND FARM BOOKKEEPING. 
 
 Give the students such problems as they will have to solve on the 
 farm. Give them something other than text-book work. 
 Ask them to make a problem relating to the farm and 
 hand it in the following day. They will surprise you by 
 handing in a splendid list of practical exercises. Teach a 
 very simple method of bookkeeping, and the importance of 
 farm accounts. Very few farmers know how they make their 
 money, and if they do know how, they never know how 
 much. It is important that the farmer know the cost of 
 production of every farm product if he is to be successful. 
 
Nature Study and Agriculture for Rural Schools of Texas 69 
 
 BIBLIOGRAPHY OF REFERENCE BOOKS IN NATURE 
 
 STUDY AND AGRICULTURE FOR THE RURAL 
 
 SCHOOLS. 
 
 1. Allen Flashlights on Nature. (Doubleday) $1 35 
 
 2. Apgar Birds of the United States. (Am. Bk.) 2 00 
 
 3. Blanchan Birds that Hunt and are Hunted. (Double- 
 
 day) 2 00 
 
 4. Blanchan Birds that Every Child Should Know. 
 
 (Doubleday) 1 20 
 
 5. Blanchan Nature's Garden. (Doubleday) 3 00 
 
 6. Brooks The Story of Cotton. (Rand) 75 
 
 7. Burkett & Poe Cotton. (Doubleday) 2 00 
 
 8. Coburn Alfalfa. ( Judd) 50 
 
 9. Comstock Handbook of Nature 'Study for Teachers. 
 
 (Comstock Pub. Co.) 3 25 
 
 10. Comstock The Bird Note Books, Nos. 1 and 2, each. 
 
 (Comstock Pub. Co.) .- 30 
 
 11. Corbett Garden Farming. (Ginn) 2 00 
 
 12. Cummings Nature Study for Primary Grades. (Am. 
 
 Bk.) 90 
 
 13. Cummings Nature Study for Lower Grammar Grades. 
 
 (Am. Bk.) 60 
 
 14. Cummings Nature Study for Higher Grammar Grades. 
 
 (Am. Bk.) 75 
 
 15. Davenport Domesticated Animals and Plants. (Ginn) 1 25 
 
 16. Duggar Fungous Diseases of Plants. (Ginn) 2 00 
 
 17. Duggar Southern Field Crops. (Macmillan) 1 75 
 
 18. Halligan Fundamentals of Agriculture. (Heath) ... 1 20 
 
 19. . HodgeNature Study and Life. (Ginn) 1 50 
 
 20. Hornaday Our Vanishing Wild Life. (Scribner) .... 1 50 
 
 21. Jackman Nature Study for Grammar Grades. (Mac- 
 
 millan) 1 00 
 
 ^2. Kyle & Ellis Fundamentals of Farming and Farm 
 
 Life. ( Scribner) 1 25 
 
 23. Lange Handbook of Nature Study. (Macmillan) ... 1 00 
 
 24. MerTiam Birds of the Village and Field. (Hough- 
 
 ton) 2 00 
 
70 Bulletin of the University of Texas 
 
 25. McMurry Nature Study Lessons. (Macmillan) 60 
 
 26. Montgomery The Corn Crops. (Macmillan) 1 50 
 
 27. Nature Study Readers for the Grades. (Am. Bk.) 
 
 35c to 1 25 
 
 28. Nature Study Readers for the Grades. (World Bk. 
 
 Co.) 35c to 1 25 
 
 29. Parkhurst How to Name the Birds. (Scribner) '. 1 00 
 
 30. Parkhurst The Bird's Calendar. (Scribner) 1 50 
 
 31. Parkhurst Song Birds and Water Fowl. (Scribner). 1 50 
 
 32. Plumb Beginnings in Animal Husbandry. (Webb 
 
 Pub.) ". 1 25 
 
 33. Powell Co-operation in Agriculture. (Macmillan) ... 1 50 
 
 34. Reed Nature Studies Birds. (Doubleday) 60 
 
 35. Reed Nature Studies In Field and Woods. (Double- 
 
 day) 60 
 
 36. Reed Flower Guide Wild Flowers East of the Rock- 
 
 ies. (Doubleday) 1 00 
 
 37. Reed Bird Guide Land Birds East of the Rockies. 
 
 (Doubleday) 1 00 
 
 38. Robinson Principles and Practices of Poultry Culture. 
 
 (Ginn) 2 50 
 
 39. Rogers A Key to the Nature Library. (Doubleday) . 1 50 
 
 40. Sanderson and Jackson Elementary Entomology. 
 
 (Ginn) 2 00 
 
 41. Schumaker Study of Nature. (Lippincott) 1 25 
 
 42. Scott Nature Study and the Child. (Heath) 1 50 
 
 43. Spillman Farm Grasses in the United States. (Judd) 1 00 
 
 44. Warren Farm Management. (Macmillan) 1 75 
 
 45. Waugh Beginner's Guide to Fruit Growing. (Judd) . 75 
 
 46. Weed Life Histories of American Insects. (Mac- 
 
 millan) 1 50 
 
 47. Weed Seed Travelers. (Ginn) 25 
 
 48. Whitson and Walster Soils and Soil Fertility. (Webb 
 
 Pub.) 1 25 
 
 49. Wilkinson Practical Agriculture. (Am. Bk.) 100 
 
 50. Wilson Nature Study in Elementary Schools in the 
 
 First and Second Grades, each. (Macmillan) 35 
 
 51. Wilson Teacher's Manual in Nature Study. (Mac- 
 
 millan) '. 90 
 
Nature Study and Agriculture for Rural Schools of Texas 71 
 
 52. Wilson and War burton tField Crops. (Webb Pub.) . . 1 50 
 
 53. Wing Milk and Its Products. (Macmillan Co.) 1 50 
 
 54. Wright Birdcraft. (Macmillan) 1 50 
 
 Bibliography of Country Life Literature. 
 
 1. Anderson The Country Town. (Baker) $1 00 
 
 2. Anderson The Farmer of Tomorrow. (Macmillan) . . 1 50 
 
 3. Andrews The Call of the Land. ( Judd) 1 50 
 
 4. Ashenhurst The Day of the Country Church. (Funk) 1 25 
 
 5. Bailey The Country Life Movement. (Macmillan) . . 1 25 
 
 6. Bailey The Outlook to Nature. (Macmillan) 1 25 
 
 7. Bailey Cyclopedia of American Agriculture, Vol. IV. 
 
 (Macmillan) 5 00 
 
 8. Bailey The Training of Farmers. (Century) 1 00 
 
 9. Bancroft Games for Playgrounds, Home, School, and 
 
 Gymnasium. (Macmillan) 1 50 
 
 10. Bookwalter Eural vs. Urban. (Knickerbocker Press) 4 00 
 
 11. Burbank The Training of the Human Plant. (Cen- 
 
 tury) 60 
 
 12. Butterfield Chapters in Eural Progress. (Chicago 
 
 Univ. Press) 1 00 
 
 13. Butterfield The Country Church and the Rural Prob- 
 
 lem. (Chicago Univ. Press) 1 00 
 
 14. Carver Principles of Rural Economics. (Ginn) 1 30 
 
 15. Collins New Agriculture. (Munn) .. . 2 00 
 
 16. Cubberly The Improvement of the Rural School. 
 
 (Houghton) 35 
 
 17. Davenport Education for Efficiency. (Heath) 1 00 
 
 18. Dean The Worker and the State. (Century) 1 20 
 
 19. Dodd The Healthful Farmhouse. (Whitcomb & B.) 60 
 
 20. Field The Corn Lady. (Flanagan) 50 
 
 21. Fiske The "Challenge of the Country. (Y. M. C. A.) 75 
 
 22. Foght The American Rural School. (Macmillan) ... 1 25 
 
 23. Forbush The Coming Generation. (Appleton) 1 50 
 
 24. Carney Country Life and the Country School. (Row, 
 
 Peterson) . 1 25 
 
 25. Gillette Constructive Rural Sociology. (Sturgis & 
 
 Walton) 2 00 
 
72 Bulletin of llif University of Texas 
 
 26. Grayson Adventures of Contentment. (Doubleday) . . 1 20 
 
 27. Gowdy Poems for the Study of Language. (Hough- 
 
 ton) 40 
 
 28. Grice Home and School. (Sower) 60 
 
 29. Harwood New Creations in Plant Life. (Macmillan) 1 75 
 
 30. Harwood The New Earth. (Macmillan) 1 75 
 
 31. Hopkins The Story of the Soil. (Gorham Press) ... 1 50 
 
 32. Johnson Education by Plays and Games. (Ginn) ... 1 10 
 
 33. Johnson What to do at Eecess. (Ginn) 25 
 
 34. Kern Among Country Schools. (Ginn) 1 50 
 
 35. King Social Aspects of Education. (Macmillan) .... 1 60 
 
 36. Leland Playground Technique and Playcraft. (Bas- 
 
 sette) " 2 50 
 
 37. McKeever Farm Boys and Girls. (Macmillan) 1 50 
 
 38. Mero American Playgrounds. (Baker) 2 00 
 
 39. Mowbray The Making of a Country Home. (Double- 
 
 day) ." 1 50 
 
 40. Page Roads, Paths, and Bridges. (Sturgis & Walton) 1 00 
 
 41. Perry Wider Use of the School Plant. (Charities 
 
 Pub. Com.) 1 25 
 
 42. Plunkett The Rural Life Problem in the United 
 
 States. (Macmillan) . . 1 25 
 
 43. Powell How to Live in the Country. (Outing Pub. 
 
 Co.) 1 75 
 
 44. Seerley The Country School. (Scribner) 1 00 
 
 45. Snedden The Problem of Vocational Education. 
 
 (Houghton) 35 
 
 46. Stern Neighborhood Entertainments. (Sturgis & 
 
 Walton) ' 1 00 
 
 47. Wilson Evolution of a Country Community. (Pilgrim 
 
 Press) 1 25 
 
 48. Wilson The Church of the Open Country. (Mission- 
 
 ary Educ. Mov.) 50 
 
 49. Wray Jean Mitchell's School Public School 1 00 
 
 50. Report of the Country Life Commission. (Sturgis & 
 
 Walton) '.'., 75 
 
Mature Study and Agriculture for Rural Schools of Texas 73 
 
 Addresses of Publishers and Key to Abbreviations. 
 
 Am. Bk. American Book Co., Chicago, 111. 
 
 Appleton D. Applefon & Co., Chicago, 111. 
 
 Baker The Baker & Taylor Co., New York, N. Y. 
 
 Bassette F. A. Bassette Co., Springfield, Mass. 
 
 Century The Century Co., Union Square, New York, N. Y. 
 
 Charities Pub. Com. Charities Publication Committee, New 
 York, N. Y. 
 
 Chicago Univ. Press University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 111. 
 
 Comstock Pub. Co. Comstock Publishing Co., Ithaca, N. Y. 
 
 Doubleday Doubleday, Page & Co., Garden City, N. Y. 
 
 Flanagan A. Flanagan Co., Chicago, 111. 
 
 Funk Funk Wagnalls Co., New York, N. Y. 
 
 Ginn Ginn & Co., Boston, Mass. 
 
 Gorham The Gorham Press, Boston, Mass, 
 
 Heath D. C. Heath & Co., Chicago, 111. 
 
 Houghton Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Boston, Mass. 
 
 Knickerbocker Press The Knickerbocker Press, New York, 
 N. Y. 
 
 Lippincott J. B. Lippincott & "Co., Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
 Macmillan The Macmillan Co., New York, N. Y. 
 
 Missionary Educ. Mov. Missionary Education Movement, 156 
 Fifth Ave., New York City, N. Y. 
 
 Munn Munn & Co., New York, N. Y. 
 
 Outing Pub. Outing Publishing Co., New York, N. Y. 
 
 Pilgrim Press The Pilgrim Press, Boston, Mass. 
 
 Public School Public School Publishing Co., Bloomington, 111. 
 
 Rand Piand-McNally & Co., Chicago, 111. 
 
 Scribner Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, N. Y. 
 
 Sower Christopher Sower Co., Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
 Sturgis & Walton Sturgis & Walton, New York, N. Y. 
 
 Webb Pub. Webb Publishing Co., St. Paul, Minn. 
 
 Whitcomb & B. Whitcomb & Barrows Co., Boston, Mass. 
 
 World Book Co. World Book Co., Yonkers-on-Hudson, N. Y. 
 
 Y. M. C. A. International Com. of Y. M. C. A. Press, 124 
 East Twenty-eighth St., New York, N. Y. 
 
GAYLAMOUNT 
 
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 Manufactured by 
 
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