The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-06-28

PSG4OaAS 04 64469 anu WHICH require
ample and permanent laboratories,
equipment and investigators, while
most Of the work contemplated under
chapter 12s could best be carried on
away from the college.
The problem OF how to successfully
introduce into the schools OF the State
a study OF the fundamental principles
which govern the soil, the plant and
the animal. or the study Of agriculture,
he's been considered most carefully by
many distinguished educators. This
subject was long and carefully coneid
cred by the faculty of agriculture be
fore entering upon the work. The
leaflets On nature study which were
already issued had been 80 kindly re-
ceived and SO fully appreciated that it
was decided to issue others and to en-
ploy trained teachers, to visit the
schools and to attend teachers insti
tutes for the purpose of explaining
how the subject matter of the Leaflets,
as well as other similar subjects, might
be used as texts by the teacher, while
the illustrations could not help but be
useful Go the teachers of classes in
drawing. It was hoped, too, that after
the teacher had given instruction on
some subject intimately connected
with natural objects which at ract the
attention of the pupil, the object hav
ing been used for q drawing i'm the
class room, the description Of such OBJ
ject would form O most interesting sub
ject for compositions, which are now
required in most departments OF the
public schools. By correlating with
composition and drawing work the OBJ
jection Of an added study was re-
moved.
It is believed that O study Of the
more common and familiar objects of
nature leads directly to better un-
derstanding OF those laws and phenom
ena which are the very foundation of
improved agriculture. In the hands Of
the ekillful teacher the leaflets may be
used TO impart valuable lessons in
natural history and i'm the conserve.
tion Of energy as applied 60 rural
affairs, and may in some cases serve to
interest teacher and pupil in the econ
onnics of agriculture. Briefly stated,
il is hoped that such instruction will
lead logically and naturally to great.
or love for rural affairs and @ more
rational understanding of them by
young and old.
Eight leaflets have been published
and distributed free, and so great has
been the demand for them that it was
necessary to print second edition Of
all Of them, while some have run
through five and six editions, and the
demand is now beyond the facilities of
the college to supply.
More than 700 lectures have been de-
livered throughout the State by spe
cialists; $4,000 common school teach
ers are enrolled and receiving and
using the leaflets, and many have at
tended the lectures explaining the
methods of presenting nature study
work i'm the schools Sixteen thousand
school children have received those
leaflets which are especially adapted
to their needs Two thousand five hun.
dred young farmers are enrolled in the
agricultural reading course. These
are assisted from time TO time by means
of printed circulars which give direc-
tions and assistance to the farmer in
carrying on his studies at home. From
time to time question papers are sent
out for the purpose of giving oppor-
tunity to the farmer to make known
his needs, that they may be more fully
understood and met.
Tt is believed that the benefits de
rived from carrying the experimental
work beyond the limits of the station
grounds are very great. First, the
data obtained are valuable. In some
cases they are much more valuable
than could possibly be obtained from
experiments conducted at the station.
In corroboration of this statement,
reference is made to the bulletin on
sugar beets. Second, the station is
brought into closer touch with the
farmers. Meeting them on their own
farms, the station workers become bet
ter acquainted with their peculiar sur
roundings and needs, and can offer
more appropriate assistance than they
otherwise could do. On the other hand,
the farmers learn better how the sta
tion can help them and how TO avail
themselves of that help. Third, the
experiments serve as an object lesson
to the farmerss AS such they impress
themselves upon large class Of farm