"The course in agriculture for the rural common schools, as outlined by the committee on instruction in agriculture in its ninth report to the Association of American Agricultural Colleges and Experiment Stations, was designed to extend over two years, the seventh and eight years in schools having eight grades. The first year was to be given up to a study of plant production, and the second year to animal production and some matters concerning dairying, farm mechanics, a nd farm accounts. The experiments thus far tried in teaching agriculture in elementary schools have been directed mainly along the line of plant production; hence there is much more material in teachable form on this phase of agriculture than on any other phase. On this account, and for the further reason that a bulletin dealing with the whole subject of elementary agriculture would be so large as to preclude its wide distribution, it has been decided to limit this bulletin to exercises illustrating some of the more important principles of plant production, leaving to subsequent bulletins the application of these principles to particular crops."--Scope of the bulletin (p.8).

"For a considerable number of years more attention has been given by farmers to the production and improvement of corn than to any other grain or general farm crop. It has not so generally had the attention of teachers and pupils in the schools. With the rapid spread of experimental corn growing through the work of boys' and girls' agricultural clubs, the need of such study in the schools has come to be better appreciated. The design of this bulletin is to furnish suggestions for developing the real educational value of this study and establishing some of its connections with arithmetic, botany, and other school subject. At the outset a general acquaintance with the corn plant is desirable. Many a boy and girl -- and teachers, too -- have dwelt in the presence of cornfields for a considerable part of their lives without appreciating the many features of interest which the structure and functions of this plant have to offer to the inquisitive students ..."--Page 5.

This collection contains pamphlets, publications, and printed materials relating to demonstration farms throughout the state of Iowa. The reports include variety tests for different crops.

This collection contains pamphlets, publications, and printed materials, relating to horticulture. The topics include orchard planning and pruning, spraying information, grafting, gardening, storing of vegetables, and growing potatoes.