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mental vision of the child. The cause of the Ealling-ofi in this direction is not difficult to find. It arises, we are convinced, from trusting too much to the geographical reading-book and not requiring jjupils to memorize what they have read. Geographical Readers are extremely valuable aids, but considerable discretion should be exercised in their use, for although they may become the moans of training pupils to acquire information for themselves, there is always the danger that important points may be overlooked and necessary facts but imperfectly learnt. We maintain that no book, however good, can supply the place of vivid personal teaching, which in all cases should form a necessary and important part of the instruction. To quote from the " Suggestions " published with the English Code :"It is from a judicious combination of stimulating oral teaching with the study of a book that the most fruitful results are to be obtained, and the book will help to give definiteness to the work which might otherwise become desultory and perfunctory." Though we have written in this strain, we are not amongst those who think that the teaching of geography is to be numbered with the lost arts, nor do we in any way deplore the freedom of choice now given. In spite of the many criticisms levelled against the condition of this subject we have every confidence that our teachers will realize the defects we have noted, and at no distant date will place it amongst the subjects deserving of commendation. History.—What we have written of the use of the reading-book in teaching geography applies with equal force to instruction in history, where results, especially in the smaller schools, are often disappointing. Prior to the introduction of the Historical Reader, and when definite courses in history were demanded, the amount of accurate knowledge and thoughtful appreciation of the story of British history possessed by pupils was considerably greater than that which now obtains. Undue reliance on i he book, with the reduction of oral teaching, and in some cases a break in the continuity of the work, as allowed by regulation, are largely responsible for the falling-off in this most important subject. Wlial is known as " Civics" is in general well taught, in most cases useful and extensive programmes being treated with intelligence and success, and pupils showing a very keen interest in the application of the teaching to local activities. Drawing. - During the last two or three years drawing has made considerable advance. But while recognizing this we would point out that there is still room for improvement. Many teachers of timorous constitution fear to leave the old, well-worn paths, and cling to conventional forms, sacrificing the educational value of drawing to the mechanical reproduction of a copy. Drawings should be made from the actual subjects, reproduced from memory, and as far as possible correlated with naturestudy. We do not propose to produce a crop of artists, but we do desire the cultivation of an artistic feeling. Our drawing should furnish a valuable means of expression to supplement verbal illustration. The natural object, too, when altered and modified, should give us conventionalized forms suitable for the purpose of designs. Many of our teachers, having adopted some well-developed system of gradation and attack on these lines, are producing with pencil or brush creditable specimens, and we trust that their example may induce those who are loth to leave the beaten track to discover some of the possibilities which are to be found in design-work. The closely allied subjects of brush work and flat-tinting make a most favourable impression of the progress being achieved in artistic development. In several of our schools the work has reached a very high level, and in no case is there evidence that this success has been gained at the expense of other subjects, the opportunity for mental relaxation having more than compensated for the inroad on the time-table. Nature-study.—This subject continues to receive a good deal of thoughtful attention, the majority of schools is handled with praiseworthy success. It is invariably popular with both teachers and pupils, who derive no little pleasure and profit from the investigations undertaken. Closely connected with nature-study is the school garden, which is now regarded as an indispensable adjunct to primary education in all progressive communities where prosperity depends largely on the products of the soil. Most of the, education districts in this Dominion have now special instructors in agriculture, to whose efforts the success attained throughout the land is in great measure due. Our own Board has just appointed two such instructors, whose efforts will not be confined merely to assisting and directing teachers and guiding the work generally, but who will devote special attention to the instruction of students attached to the training college. This will probably be the most necessary and important part of their duties, for on the knowledge and enthusiasm of our future teachers will depend the ultimate realization of the aims of the movement. We and others have so often enlarged on the objects to be gained by nature-study teaching that it seems unnecessary to refer to them again. Suffice that these should aim not so much at supplying information as at fostering the power of exact seeing, clear thinking, connecting cause and effect, reaching discovery by careful experiment, and developing the faculty of accurate verbal expression by training pupils to find suitable words in which to describe the processes involved and the results achieved. Incidentally, children should acquire useful and interesting knowledge of local conditions, and gradually come to realize and appreciate some of the wonderful processes of nature at work around them. We fear in many cases there is a tendency to overlook these aims, and to forget that the spirit of the teaching plays such an important part in the success of the effort, with the result that the knowledge content of the child's mind at the close of the course of lessons would seem to be the main objective. We are inclined to this view for two reasons —(1) because of the early introduction of formal lessons, and (2) owing to the amount of elementary botany dealt with at all stages. These matters were noted in our report of 1906. and we would respectfully ask teachers to read and think over what we have there stated. In many of the schools to which gardens are attached considerably more might be done in the matter of noting in writing and by means of rough sketches the tests applied and observations made. The ability to make relevant notes is by no means common, hence the need for special training, but its value is so great and the process by which it is acquired so educative that no pains should be spared to secure its development. We are of opinion, too, that more might be made of the reasons for simple processes in horticulture. Why, for instance, is it practically useless to supply a fertilizing agent in dry weather ? Why should the spade be driven into the ground