An earnest teaching of this book will, we believe, add to the attractiveness of your course of study. Do not hesi~ tate to enter heartily into the new subject. To teach agri. culture you need not feel that you must be an authority on all questions arising in this broad field. To teach some agriculture one need not know all agriculture. If you know even a few valuable facts, methods, or principles that will make life on the farm easier, that will make the farm more beautiful, more productive, and more profitable, you will be doing good by imparting these methods and these principles. Lead the pupils out into the field, make simple experiments before them, and have them also perform experiments. Let them learn directly from nature: a fact gained at first hand will linger in the mind long after mere second-band book knowJedge has departed. Teach by observation and experiment. The young mind grasps the concrete but wearies with the abstract. You will find in the practical
Table of Contents
CHAPTER I - THE SOIl; PAGS; Section I Origin of the soil r; 2 Tillage of the soil 6; 3 The moisture of the soil 10; 4 How the water rises in the soil 14; S Draining the soil J 5; 6 I mproving the soil 18; 7 :Manuring,the soil 22; CHAPTER II-THE SOIL -AND THE PLANT; Section 8 Roots 27; 9· How a plant feeds from the soil 3 1; 10 Root tubercles 33; II The rotation of crops 35; CHAPTER III - THE PLANT; Section 12 How a plant feeds from the air 41; 13 The sap current 42; J 4 The flower and the seed 44; 15 Pollination 48; 16 Crosses, hybrids, and cross-pollination 50; 17 Plant propagation by buds 54; 18 Plant seeding: cotton; wheat 62; 19 Selecting seed corn 69; 20 Teeds 73; 21 Seed purity and vitality 77; vii; Vlll CONTENTS; CHAPTER IV - HOV TO RAISE A FRUIT TREE; Section 22 Grafting; 23 Budding; 24 Planting and pruning; CHAPTER V-THE DISEASES OF PLANTS; PAGR; 83; 86; 88; Section 25 Tlle cause and nature of plant disease 94; 26 Yeas
Table of Contents
CHAPTER I - THE SOIl; PAGS; Section I Origin of the soil r; 2 Tillage of the soil 6; 3 The moisture of the soil 10; 4 How the water rises in the soil 14; S Draining the soil J 5; 6 I mproving the soil 18; 7 :Manuring,the soil 22; CHAPTER II-THE SOIL -AND THE PLANT; Section 8 Roots 27; 9· How a plant feeds from the soil 3 1; 10 Root tubercles 33; II The rotation of crops 35; CHAPTER III - THE PLANT; Section 12 How a plant feeds from the air 41; 13 The sap current 42; J 4 The flower and the seed 44; 15 Pollination 48; 16 Crosses, hybrids, and cross-pollination 50; 17 Plant propagation by buds 54; 18 Plant seeding: cotton; wheat 62; 19 Selecting seed corn 69; 20 Teeds 73; 21 Seed purity and vitality 77; vii; Vlll CONTENTS; CHAPTER IV - HOV TO RAISE A FRUIT TREE; Section 22 Grafting; 23 Budding; 24 Planting and pruning; CHAPTER V-THE DISEASES OF PLANTS; PAGR; 83; 86; 88; Section 25 Tlle cause and nature of plant disease 94; 26 Yeas
