foreign languages as a requirement, the reduction of the requirements in mathematics, physics, and chemistry, and increases in economics and in electives.

Ten institutions, including the universities of California and Maine, Massachusetts Agricultural College, the Mississippi Agricultural and Mechanical College, the universities of Minnesota, Nebraska, Tennessee, and Cornell, Rutgers University, and the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, reported curricula as early as 1880-81. In all cases but four (Maine, Nebraska, Mississippi, and Tennessee) foreign languages were required at that time, ranging from 6 hours at the University of Minnesota to 15 hours at Cornell University. The average requirement of the group was 12 credit-hours. By 1890-1891 Cornell had reduced the foreign-language requirement from 15 to 6 hours, and by 1900 had dropped it altogether. The other five institutions mentioned re tained the foreign-language requirement until 1910-11, and 18 other institutions (42 institutions reporting) then required foreign languages averaging a little more than 11 credit-hours. Between 1910-11 and 1920-21, 17 of the 23 had dropped the foreign-language requirement altogether, and the other six with one exception, had reduced the amount required. Of these 6 only 1 (Massachusetts Agricultural College) belonged to the group with the foreign-language requirement in 1880. By 1927-28 the foreign-language requirement had been dropped as a requirement in the general course by all except two institutions (Massachusetts Agricultural College and the University of Vermont).

Mathematics was reported as required in 10 institutions in 1880-81, including all institutions reporting curricula at that time; in 14 institutions, all reporting, in 1890-91; in 29 or 33 institutions reporting in 1900-1901; in 35 or 42 institutions in 1910-11; in 29 of 46 institutions in 1920-21; and in 28 of 46 reporting in 1927-28. From 1900 to 1927 the credit-hour requirement in mathematics decreased from an average of 9.5 hours in 29 institutions to an average of 2.5 in 28 institutions.

Physics was reported as required in the same 10 institutions as mathematics in 1880-81, in 12 out of 14 in 1890-91, in 27 of 33 institutions in 1900-1901, in 28 out of 42 in 1910-11, in 31 out of 46 in 1920-21, and in 25 out of 46 in 1927-28. The credit-hour requirement in 1900-1901 varied from 2.8 to 12, with on average of 6.2; and in 1927-28 from 2.4 to 8, with an average of 4.

Chemistry was required by every institution reporting for 1880-81 and for each year thereafter. In the first year mentioned the credit-hour requirement ranged from 21⁄2 hours in one institution to 30 hours at the University of California, with an average requirement of approximately 18 credit-hours. In 1920-21 the requirement ranged from 6 to 20, with an average of 16 and an approximate median of 14. In 1927-28 the chemistry requirement ranged from 5 to 20 credit-hours, with an average of 11.7 and an approximate median of 12. Chemistry will remain as one of the important subjects in the agricultural curricula dealing with production and manufactures, since it is basic to much of the work given in such subjects as soils, nutrition, feeding, plant physiology, and a number of the dairy-manufactures courses. There is a well-defined tendency, however, in some institutions, to reduce the number of hours required by the elimination of certain subject matter in chemistry not considered essential to a proper understanding of the applied courses.

Work in economics was required in the general course in 1880-81 in the universities of California and Maine, Massachusetts Agricultural College, Rutgers University, the universities of Cornell and Tennessee, and the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas with a range of 2 to 4 credit hours and an average of 2.6. By 1900-1901, 16 institutions, out of 33 reporting, required economics in the general course with a range of 1% to 7 credit hours, and an average of 4 hours. In 1910-11, 28 of 42 institutions reporting indicated economics as required in the general course with a range of 1.5 to 8 credit hours and an average of 4 credit hours. In 1920-21 economics was reported as required by 35 institutions of 46 reporting with credit hours ranging from 2 to 11 and an average of 4.5, and in 1928-29 this subject was reported by 35 of 46 institutions with credit hours required ranging from 2 to 11 and an average of 4.8. The increasing emphasis on subjects in economics is indicated both by an increase in the number of institutions in which they are required in the general course and in the number of credit hours required.

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While there is a large variation between institutions in the strictly required hours of work in what are classified as agricultural subjects extending all the way from 20 to 59 hours, the average of 37 representative institutions in 1910-11 was 38.26, and in 1927–28, 39.25 credit hours, with an approximate median of 40 and 38.5 respectively. In the institutions where the least number of hours in agriculture is required generally, many more hours than those strictly specified may be elected and thus become a part of the curriculum of the student.

While the situation with reference to foreign languages, mathematics, physics, chemistry, economics, and the agricultural group indicate the trend of the requirements for these subjects in the general course, too much significance can not be attached to the figures given for the reason that electives have increased in larger proportion than the decrease in the credit hours in the subjects specified. In other words, while a student in the general curriculum is not now held to courses in languages, except in two institutions, or for as many hours in mathematics as formerly and is required to take fewer hours in physics and in chemistry, but more hours in economics, he has greater freedom in elective courses. If he is so inclined. he may take as much or more work in the subjects named than formerly or he may take more work in English and literature, in economics, sociology and education. In order to determine what students are actually receiving in agricultural curricula detailed studies of student schedules are highly desirable but such investigation is beyond the scope of the land-grant college survey. Studies of this kind may well be undertaken by individual institutions or better by a considerable group of institutions in collaboration with each other.

Relative emphasis on the various subject-matter fields in agricultural instruction.-The emphasis given in agricultural instruction to the various subject-matter fields has been the subject of much discussion within institutions and by the general public. Do the colleges give too much attention to production and not enough to marketing and economic relationships between agricultural and other industrial groups or between agriculture and business? Are recent trends in the use of power on the farm and the development of commercial agriculture given the consideration that they should have? Are rural education and the social relationships of rural people given sufficient emphasis?

One significant indication of the trend with reference to these matters is found in the departmental organization within the agricultural group. In the areas of agricultural economics and marketing especially the agricultural divisions show a significant develop

ment of departments appropriate to these fields. From 1916 to 1927-28, a period of 12 years, 25 departments in agricultural economics (under different names, such as agricultural economics and farm management, rural economics, economics and sociology, marketing and rural finances) have been organized in as many colleges out of 42 reporting on this point, while during the entire previous history of the institutions only 7 such departments were reported. Although courses in economics were given in practically all these institutions before the departments were organized and are now given universally in the land-grant colleges, larger emphasis on these subjects has come with the organization of departments whose primary function it is to study and teach phases of economics which have a special and intimate relationship to agricultural marketing and finance, the use of land, farm organizations, and rural movements. Rural social conditions also are given considerable attention in these or other departments of many institutions.

The emphasis on subjects relating to the rapid development of farm machinery and to the increasing use of power in agriculture is indicated by the organization of agricultural engineering departments (under such names as agricultural engineering, farm mechanics, farm machinery, and rural engineering) in 24 institutions since 1901, 17 of which have been established since 1911. Where such departments have not been organized agricultural engineering subjects are taught in other agricultural departments or in the engineering group.

Beginning with the period 1906 to 1910 much thought has been given to problems of rural education. Departments of agricultural education (under such names as agricultural education, rural education, vocational education, vocational teaching, and rural vocational education) have been organized in 22 institutions of the 44 reporting. Three of these came during the period 1906-1910, 6 from 1911 to 1915, and 13 from 1916 to 1928. In the remaining institutions this work is given in some other department. The development of agricultural instruction in the high schools of the country under the Federal Smith-Hughes Act since 1917 has given much impetus to this work.

In addition to the evidence of development in instruction afforded by creation of departments devoted to specific fields the facts regarding course offerings furnish significant testimony concerning emphasis and distribution among subjects. From the data that have been assembled concerning the type and number of courses offered and the enrollments in them for 1927-28, Table 8 has been prepared showing certain major groups of courses, the number of institutions reporting on each group, the average number of courses with credit hours and the average number of student credit hours of enrollment. The result is an indication of the work given during 1927-28 in

economic and other fields. Although the table represents the offerings of no single institution it is of interest as indicating the national situation with reference to agricultural offerings. In the groupings used, crops and soils are included in agronomy, plant and animal breeding with genetics, although in most institutions they are offered in agronomy or animal husbandry; feeding courses with nutrition; farm buildings with agricultural engineering; agricultural economics with economics; and bees with entomology.

TABLE 8.-Courses in the 4-year curricula in agriculture conducted in 1927-28 with the number of institutions reporting for each group, average number of courses and credit hours given, and average undergraduate student credit hours enrollment

The table shows that a larger emphasis as indicated by student credit-hour enrollment is given to agronomy than to any other group of subjects. Agronomy deals with plants and plant growth, field and forage crops and the soils in which they are produced; in other words, plant life, its environment, and many of its relationships. These matters are basic to the agricultural industry and, therefore, will always be emphasized in agricultural curricula. Horticulture, plant pathology, and entomology also deal primarily with plant production and add further to the emphasis given to production.

Next come animal husbandry, dairy production, and poultry production. These with veterinary science, nutrition, and feeding constitute a group of subjects dealing with animal production. They will always receive emphasis for the same reason that plant production is emphasized. Genetics and plant and animal breeding are closely related to plant and animal growth and development and

will remain in offerings for agricultural students. It is clear that only when plants and animals have been produced is there anything to market, and economy and efficiency in production in themselves are of large importance.

What the table shows about offerings in the economics group, including general and agricultural economics, is of special interest. The average total number of student credit hours of work in economics in 1927-28 as shown by the table is larger than in any other single group. Agricultural economics to-day generally receives more attention in agricultural curricula than at any previous time. Not only are the students in many curricula required to take a certain number of credit hours in economics, but special curricula or groupings have been arranged in many institutions in which a student may either specialize in agricultural economics, agricultural business administration, or agricultural administration, or take a large number of elective hours of work in this field in connection with general and special curricula. For instance, dairy manufacturing in many institutions is now a highly specialized marketing group although many courses listed in it are taken by students in the more general curricula. Moreover it should not be overlooked that in the so-called production course much time is devoted to the study of standards, preparation for market, market handling, market requirements, and market outlets. These phases are emphasized and receive consideration, therefore, both in production and in marketing courses and much is contributed in this way to the understanding of the economics of agriculture.

Agricultural engineering holds an important place in many of the agricultural curricula with an average of 361.2 student credit hours for the 37 institutions reporting on this group. This is more than half as much work as is given in agronomy which includes both crops and soils, and is evidence of the emphasis on this subject in agricultural instruction. The progress made in recent years in the use of machinery and of power to lighten human labor have made it necessary that the institutions emphasize increasingly the operation and use of machinery and equipment and the application of power to farm tasks.

Landscape gardening and floriculture are finding a permanent place in agricultural curricula in many institutions. As the country grows older more and more attention is given to home surroundings. Orderly and beautiful farmyards, homes, and countrysides contribute much to rural contentment and happiness. The professional curricula in these subjects are proving attractive to a considerable number of students, both men and women, as preparation for a distinct profession or as interesting curricula of general educational value.