The problem for this study was to determine the agricultural mechanics tasks taught in the Horticulture Option and/or executed in the management of horticultural tools, equipment, and facilities by teachers of horticulture in Virginia. The study also sought to determine if relationships existed between the number of tasks performed and the following teacher variables:

1. years of vocational agriculture teaching experience;
2. types of agricultural experience possessed;
3. pre-service areas of specialization in agricultural education;
4. sex; and
5. occupational areas of teaching emphasis in horticulture.

A list of agricultural mechanics tasks performed by teachers of horticulture was compiled from previous research, evaluated by a panel of experts, and pilot tested with five teachers of horticulture in North Carolina. The final 165 agricultural mechanics tasks were assigned to seven agricultural mechanics subject matter areas and arranged into questionnaire form. Task inventories were administered to the 49 teachers of horticulture in Virginia and 47 usable responses were received.

Each respondent in the survey checked the tasks they performed and rated the relative amount of time they spent performing each task. Teachers added tasks they performed which were not included in the inventory. Reliability estimates for the seven agricultural mechanics subject matter areas were determined using Cronback's coefficient alpha. The reliability of the teachers' responses to the relative amount of time they spent performing the tasks in each agricultural mechanics subject matter area was: (1) .905 for construction and maintenance, (2) .937 for electricity, (3) .950 for horticultural equipment, (4) .909 for mechanics laboratory management, (5) .965 for power units, (6) .883 for soil and water, and (7) .856 for structures and environment.

The findings revealed that all 165 agricultural mechanics tasks were being performed by teachers of horticulture in Virginia; however, no task was performed by 100 percent of the teachers nor did any teacher perform all 165 tasks. Mean time-spent values, ranging from 2.049 to 3.762, were calculated for the 79 agricultural mechanics tasks which were performed by more than 40 percent of the teachers of horticulture. Correlations between number of agricultural mechanics tasks performed and the teachers' years of teaching experience, occupational experience in farming, and pre-service specialization in agricultural production were significant at the .01 probability level. Correlations between the number of agricultural mechanics tasks performed in the "horticultural equipment" subject matter area and the occupational areas of landscape management and turf management were also significant at the .01 probability level.

It was recommended that the findings of this study be used to improve agricultural mechanics instruction for prospective teachers of horticulture and to identify possible topics for in-service workshops and development of relevant instructional materials. Further study involving horticultural business managers was recommended to determine the agricultural mechanics tasks needed for entry-level employment in horticultural occupations. Another study involving local vocational directors and principals was recommended to determine the agricultural mechanics tasks teachers of horticulture are expected to perform in the management and maintenance of horticultural tools, equipment, and facilities.