1. It is universally admitted that aptitudes are developed, tastes acquired, and life habits formed during the years that a child is in the public school. Hence, during these important years every child intended for the farm should be taught to know and love nature, should be led to form habits of observation, and should be required to begin a study of those great laws upon which agriculture is based. A training like this goes far toward making his life-work profitable and delightful.

2. Most boys and girls reared on a farm get no educational training except that given in the public schools. If, then, the truths that unlock the doors of nature are not taught in the public schools, nature and nature's laws will always be hid in night to a majority of our bread-winners. They must still in ignorance and hopeless drudgery tear their bread from a reluctant soil.

The authors return hearty thanks to Professor Thomas F. Hunt, University of California; Professor Augustine D. Selby, Ohio Experiment Station; Professor W. F. Massey, horticulturist and agricultural writer; and Professor Franklin Sherman, Jr., State Entomologist of North Carolina, for aid in proofreading and in the preparation of some of the material.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I. THE SOIL
SECTIONPAGE
I.Origin of the Soil[1]
II.Tillage of the Soil[6]
III.The Moisture of the Soil[9]
IV.How the Water rises in the Soil[13]
V.Draining the Soil[14]
VI.Improving the Soil[17]
VII.Manuring the Soil[21]
CHAPTER II. THE SOIL AND THE PLANT
VIII.Roots[25]
IX.How the Plant feeds from the Soil[29]
X.Root-Tubercles[30]
XI.The Rotation of Crops[33]
CHAPTER III. THE PLANT
XII.How the Plant feeds from the Air[39]
XIII.The Sap Current[40]
XIV.The Flower and the Seed[42]
XV.Pollination[46]
XVI.Crosses, Hybrids, and Cross-Pollination[48]
XVII.Propagation by Buds[51]
XVIII.Plant Seeding[59]
XIX.Selecting Seed Corn[66]
XX.Weeds[69]
XXI.Seed Purity and Vitality[72]
CHAPTER IV. HOW TO RAISE A FRUIT TREE
XXII.Grafting[78]
XXIII.Budding[81]
XXIV.Planting and Pruning[83]
CHAPTER V. HORTICULTURE
XXV.Market-gardening[89]
XXVI.Flower-gardening[108]
CHAPTER VI. THE DISEASES OF PLANTS
XXVII.The Cause and Nature of Plant Disease[122]
XXVIII.Yeast and Bacteria[127]
XXIX.Prevention of Plant Disease[129]
XXX.Some Special Plant Diseases[130]
CHAPTER VII. ORCHARD, GARDEN, AND FIELD INSECTS
XXXI.Insects in General[144]
XXXII.Orchard Insects[152]
XXXIII.Garden and Field Insects[165]
XXXIV.The Cotton-Boll Weevil[173]
CHAPTER VIII. FARM CROPS
XXXV.Cotton[180]
XXXVI.Tobacco[189]
XXXVII.Wheat[192]
XXXVIII.Corn[197]
XXXIX.Peanuts[202]
XL.Sweet Potatoes[204]
XLI.White, Or Irish, Potatoes[206]
XLII.Oats[209]
XLIII.Rye[213]
XLIV.Barley[215]
XLV.Sugar Plants[217]
XLVI.Hemp and Flax[226]
XLVII.Buckwheat[229]
XLVIII.Rice[231]
XLIX.The Timber Crop[232]
L.The Farm Garden[235]
CHAPTER IX. FEED STUFFS
LI.Grasses[238]
LII.Legumes[244]
CHAPTER X. DOMESTIC ANIMALS
LIII.Horses[262]
LIV.Cattle[270]
LV.Sheep[276]
LVI.Swine[279]
LVII.Farm Poultry[282]
LVIII.Bee Culture[286]
LIX.Why we feed Animals[290]
CHAPTER XI. FARM DAIRYING
LX.The Dairy Cow[293]
LXI.Milk, Cream, Churning, and Butter[297]
LXII.How Milk sours[302]
LXIII.The Babcock Milk-Tester[304]
CHAPTER XII. MISCELLANEOUS
LXIV.Growing Feed Stuffs on the Farm[309]
LXV.Farm Tools and Machines[313]
LXVI.Liming the Land[315]
LXVII.Birds[318]
LXVIII.Farming on Dry Land[323]
LXIX.Irrigation[326]
LXX.Life in the Country[330]
APPENDIX[339]
GLOSSARY[342]
INDEX[351]

TO THE TEACHER

Teachers sometimes shrink from undertaking the teaching of a simple textbook on agriculture because they are not familiar with all the processes of farming. By the same reasoning they might hesitate to teach arithmetic because they do not know calculus or to teach a primary history of the United States because they are not versed in all history. The art of farming is based on the sciences dealing with the growth of plants and animals. This book presents in a simple way these fundamental scientific truths and suggests some practices drawn from them. Hence, even though many teachers may not have plowed or sowed or harvested, such teachers need not be embarrassed in mastering and heartily instructing a class in nature's primary laws.

If teachers realize how much the efficiency, comfort, and happiness of their pupils will be increased throughout their lives from being taught to coöperate with nature and to take advantage of her wonderful laws, they will eagerly begin this study. They will find also that their pupils will be actively interested in these studies bearing on their daily lives, and this interest will be carried over to other subjects. Whenever you can, take the pupils into the field, the garden, the orchard, and the dairy. Teach them to make experiments and to learn by the use of their own eyes and brains. They will, if properly led, astonish you by their efforts and growth.