SHOULD RURAL SCHOOLS INTRODUCE AGRICULTURE? 305 
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ary schools be ? Could we not combine it with the natural sciences, and 
vhat branch of the latter might be introduced in the school ? 
It is evident, that there must be a close connection between agriculture 
and the agricultural sciences; nevertheless the latter cannot form an 
ndependent course in the elementary schools. Experience shows clearly 
shat the knewledge taken from books is not valuable for the children ; it 
must be connected with practical and experimental instruction. This 
nstruction should be limited to giving the pupils the first notions of 
ohysical and natural sciences, combined with agriculture, or only notions 
about agriculture. It is the task of the teachér to choose that branch 
which is the most suitable for the locality and the needs of the population ; 
many understand very well how to use the two methods mentioned above. 
An experienced teacher takes as the subject for lessons, compositions, 
Jictations, etc., agricultural topics, and uses every occasion which is 
offered, in order to teach the children by the way, so to speak, elementary, 
indispensable truth. In one or two pages of these lectures in class, well 
chosen and repeated systematically, the pupils find answers to very impor- 
;ant questions. 
In some schools of France the manual training is connected closely with 
che agricultural instruction ; the pupils themselves make little objects in 
wood—tools which are necessary in practice, and agricultural machines 
in miniature. This is not all ; the tools, the planks, etc.. may serve also 
as models for the drawing exercises. 
The teacher will also make use of the walks of the pupils, the rural 
work, local meetings, expositions, herbariums, collections of insects, and 
ae will introduce agricultural principles in the general instruction, and 
zontribute considerably to the intellectual development of the pupils ; on 
sheir part he demands diligent and conscientious work and great attention 
so personal observations. Practical work in the flower and kitchen gar- 
dens is also a very efficient means of reaching the desired end. 
Sometimes if the ground near the school is large enough, the teacher 
gives every one of the pupils a small plot upon which he cultivates vege- 
tables, flowers, and fruit trees. The teacher directs them in their tasks, 
and interests them by conversations and explanatory lectures. At the 
same time he attracts their attention to the different appearances of 
nature. 
Gardening, horticulture, the culture of trees and forests, apiculture and 
silk culture, the culture of hops, and so on, have an importance for those 
sountries in which, as in Russia, for instance, the vacations do not last less 
than three or four months. Outside of this country, in the regions of 
extensive fertile lands and an ignorant population, such teachers may be 
of great service. In Russia, in Austria-Hungary, and in other countries 
we see that the people who formerly did not know this or that branch of 
agriculture, now cultivate the land with great success. Thanks to the