5 4^^ 
 .C32 
 
ELEMENTS OF 
 AGRICULTURE 
 
 FOR 
 
 PUBLIC 
 SCHOOLS 
 
 1904 
 
 Prepared by 
 
 W, T. CARRINGTON 
 
 State Superintendent Public Schools 
 
 FOR FREE USE IN PUBLIC 
 SCHOOLS OF MISSOURI 
 
Oq 
 
 o 
 
 ELEMENTS OF AGRICULTURE FOR PUBLIC 
 
 SCHOOLS. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Fifteen years ag'O the present State Superintendent of Public 
 Schools spoke before county teachers' associations and grang-e meetinf^s 
 urging- that the elements of agriculture be taught in the public schools. 
 Since then he has seen the sentiment grow until there is a great demand 
 for it. For five years the law has recognized it as a part of the course 
 of study by making it one of a group of subjects from which an appli- 
 cant must select one upon which to be examined for a first grade certifi- 
 cate, or for a state certificate. Four years ago the State Normal Schools 
 established departments of agriculture and nature study. There are 
 now many teachers in the state prepared to teach elementary agriculture. 
 
 In 1903 members of the Agricultural College faculty and heads of 
 departments of agriculture in the Normal Schools attended county 
 teachers' associations and gave instruction to teachers. The Depart- 
 ment of Agriculture, at Washington, sent a representative, Prof. D. J.. 
 Crosby, to ten County Teachers' Associations in Missouri to present 
 this subject to teachers. To all of these the State Superintendent is. 
 indebted for assistance in stimulating teachers. For a year there has. 
 been a demand for an outline giving more definitely what should be- 
 attempted. 
 
 No attempt has been made to give the subject exhaustive or scien- 
 tific treatment. It will have served its purpose if it is helpful in leading 
 the way to better things. Text-books on this subject have presented it 
 in three different wa3'S : (i) by experiments at home and in the field; 
 (2) by studying facts as given in texts and bulletins; (3) by school 
 gardens connected with school grounds. 
 
 An attempt has been made to combine these methods. Teachers 
 are advised to utilize school grounds or gardens near the school as ex- 
 periment stations, to have pupils experiment at home and make field 
 observations, and to secure bulletins from the Department of Agricul- 
 ture at Washington, D. C, from Missouri State Board of Agriculture, 
 and from the Agricultural College, both at Columbia. The school 
 
library should have copies of several good texts. See list at end of this 
 bulletin. Appeal to the pupils' interests along all lines and enlist the 
 co-operation of the parents. 
 
 The subject matter has not been arranged in the exact order it 
 should be studied, nor according to logical development. Each subject 
 should be studied at the time the material can be had and when the 
 season offers best opportunity. Soil, roads and stock-farming may be 
 studied during any month of school ; insects, seeds and plants must be 
 studied at appropriate seasons. 
 
 This bulletin has been prepared principally for use with advanced 
 classes in rural schools, but it can be used to advantage in high schools. 
 
 To my assistant, Supt. R. H. Emberson, is due much credit for 
 help Hi preparing and arranging the subject matter presented herein. 
 
 W. T. Carrington. 
 Aug. 26, 1904. 
 
L STUDIES ON SOIL 
 
 t* Origin ana Composition of Soil. — Soil is the upper stratum of 
 the earth. It is composed of small fragments of rock and the remains 
 of animal and vegetable life. The agencies which have contributed to 
 the formation of soil are heat, cold, water, frost, animal and vegetable 
 life. Rocks were once very hot ; as the outer portion cooled faster than 
 the inner, many of them were broken or cracked. Water entered these 
 fissures and, freezing, expanded and caused a further breaking up. 
 Running water, carrying sand, gravel and stones in its course, wears 
 away the solid rock and contributes to the formation of soil. Glaciers 
 have been great agencies in making soil. Air and moisture wear away 
 stone. This process is called weathering. The roots of trees penetrate 
 the opening in rocks and assist in breaking them open. Lichens and 
 mosses grow on rocks and make a suitable bed for the seed of other 
 plants. Decayed vegetable matter gives soil its rich black color. In- 
 numerable insects die and their bodies add richness to the soil. Angle 
 worms bore into the earth and allow air to enter, which improves the 
 soil. All kinds of anirnal manure are of great value in building up soil. 
 Find illustration of different ways of breaking up rocks and wearing 
 them away. The word soil usually refers to the first six to twelve 
 inches of the earth's surface, which is usually darker in color than the 
 portion beneath this depth known as subsoil. In arid regions where 
 crops are irrigated, the distinction between soil and sub-soil often disap- 
 pears. Soil has no fixed depth, color nor fertility. These vary with 
 localities. Some of the most important substances found in soil are 
 phosphorus, potassium, nitrogen, lime, sulphur, magnesia and iron. The 
 first three are of greatest importance. Water is always present in pro- 
 ductive soil. 
 
 2. Kinds of Soil* — There are different kinds of soils. Sandy soils 
 contain a large amount of sand ; clay soils contain a large amount of 
 clay ; loams are composed of about equal portions of clay and sand. 
 Loess soil is composed of extremely small particles of a sandy nature 
 and is easy to till. Soil that contains much vegetable or animal matter 
 is called humus. "Light soil" or "heavy soil" has no reference to 
 weight but to the ease with which it may be worked. The temperature 
 of soils depends largely upon the amount of water which they contain. 
 
Wet soils are cold ; dry soils are warm ; very dry soils become a desert. 
 Dark soils are usually warmer than lig-ht ones; sandy soils are warmer 
 than clay soils. The slope of the land surface has a marked effect upon 
 the temperature of the soil. A warm soil prepares plant food faster 
 than a cold one. The soil serves as a root bed for plants. It serves as 
 a support to hold many plants in an upright position. 
 
 3» Plant Food, — Much of the food of plants must be worked into 
 the soil before it can be used. Soil holds water and furnishes it to 
 plants; this is tjie basis of all farming. Soil is "worn out" when the 
 plant food which it once contained has been .ised up. The most impor- 
 tant plant foods are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. These are 
 supplied by means of farm manures and commercial fertilizers or by 
 natural soil processes. Manures make the soil richer and increase its 
 power to hold water ; commercial fertilizers are chemical compounds 
 prepared to supply foods to plants ; they carry a small amount of soluble 
 food to the plant but they make little, if any, contribution to the soil. 
 Cotton seed meal, dried blood and nitrate of soda, as fertilizers, furnish 
 nitrogen, bone meal furnishes phosphorus and kainit furnishes potassium. 
 
 4. Improvement of SoiL — Wet soil may be greatly improved by 
 draining or tiling. If water stands on the surface, the land should be 
 drained; if it is in the soil, the land should be tiled. Tilingimproves land 
 by leading off the water, rendering the soil lighter, warmer and better 
 for cultivation; it also allows air to pass through the soil which is 
 beneficial. A subsoil of hard clay or "hard pan" holds water and keeps 
 land too wet for cultivation. Land above "hard pan" can not stand 
 drought because moisture can not rise from beneath it. In loam or 
 loess soil, moisture at great depth will rise and feed growing crops. 
 For this, reason, loam or loess soil is well adapted for farming. Moist- 
 ure may be retained in the soil by making a fine earth mulch. Land 
 that is cloddy will not stand drought as well as land that is well pul- 
 verized. Soil is improved by planting clover, beans, peas, and other 
 legumnious plants. Great numbers of minute organisms locate them- 
 selves on the roots of these plants, causing the formation of small knobs 
 called tubercles. These organisms have the power to extract nitrogen 
 from the air and give it to these plants. Study closely entire plants of 
 clover, peas and beans. Which have longer roots? Which will stand 
 dought better? Clay soils may be improved by sprinkling them with 
 lime. The particles of clay are broken up, are rendered less impervious 
 to water and can be cultivated more easily. 
 
 5. Rotation of Crops* — It is not a good practice to put the same 
 
field in corn, wheat or other crop year after year, for sooner or later, 
 the soil will be "worn out." Plants differ in capacity for plant food. 
 vSome obtain their food from near the surface, others from both soil and 
 subsoil. These facts show the necessity for rotation of crops. Rota- 
 tion means chang^ing- the kind of crop upon a certain field. Crops with 
 shallow roots that feed upon the soil only, should be followed by those 
 having deep roots feeding upon the subsoil. Cereals, or grain crops, 
 derive nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium from the soil itself, while 
 clover, peas and beans derive nitrogen from the air of the soil ; such 
 crops should be raised every third or fourth year. On account of grow- 
 ing the same crop year after year, the soil becomes infested with weeds 
 and insects. Meadows and pastures are frequentl}^ taken by weeds. 
 The remedy in such cases is to plant a crop that requires close cultiva- 
 tion. The system of rotation must be suited to the soil, the kind of 
 farming and the circumstances of the farmfn-. The garden farmer aims 
 to produce as manv crops as possible during the season. He farms in- 
 tensively, hence does not depend upon rotation to keep up his soil but 
 depends upon manures and fertilizers. What advantage is clover in ro- 
 tation of crops? Name some crops that are especially valuable for 
 tillage and weed destruction. Make an outline of what you consider a 
 good four-year rotation of crops. Write an essay on "Advantages of 
 Rotation of Cro{)s." 
 
 6* Experiment. — Notice the experiment in paragraph 42, That 
 part of the plant which is water, evaporates when the plant dries ; that 
 part which came from the air passed back into the air when the plant 
 is burned and that part which came from the soil remained as ash. 
 Make the experiment and compute the per cent of each by weight. 
 Why should not straw, stalks and other vegetation be burned.? What 
 should be done with them? 
 
 7. Experiment. — i^) P"t a handful of some peaty soil from a low 
 place, some ordinary soil and some ashes, each in a saucer by itself and 
 mix with water until it becomes a paste. Put small pieces of both red 
 and blue litmus paper in each saucer. If the blue paper is turned red, 
 the soil is acid. Such soil should be treated with wood ashes or lime. 
 If the red paper turns blue, the soil is alkaline and is in good condition 
 for plants. Test a variety of soils in your district, (b) Have each 
 pupil bring a small box of soil from his home, secured near the middle 
 of a field. Make a classification of them. 
 
 8- Experiment* — (a) Put some fine clay in a tin can, some sand 
 in another and a mixture of sand and clay in a third. Put a cupful of 
 
water in each. Notice in which it sinks first. See how much water 
 can be poured into each. After each has taken up all the water possi- 
 ble, from which can it be drained or poured off the quickest? Make a 
 ball out of the soil of each. Which retains shape the best? Which 
 soil is best for farming? Which will bake? (b) Fill one tin can with 
 fine clay, another with wet sand and a third with dry sand. Set on 
 stove and notice which gets warm the quickest. Will wet soil or dry 
 soil warm quicker? (c) Take two lamp chimneys and tie a thin piece 
 of cloth over each. Fill one with dry sand, the other with dry, powder- 
 ed clay. Set both in a pan of water and notice how long it takes the 
 water to rise in each. When they are thoroughly saturated, remove 
 from the pans and notice which dries first. Which soil can be worked 
 the sooner after a rain ? 
 
 9. Experiment. — (a) Fill two cigar boxes with good, rich soil 
 and plant with beans, peas or corn. Set one in a pan of water which 
 nearly covers the box and keep the same amount of water in the pan. 
 Keep each box in a warm place and give each the same attention. Note 
 the difference between the plants. Wtiich grew the faster? Which 
 has the greener color? Why? Why is tiling good for land? (b) 
 Drop a handful of soil into a bottle of clear water. Shake it up and stir 
 slowly with a stick until it settles. Notice the difference between the 
 soil which is at the bottom and that which is on top. 
 
 tU ROADS -IMPORTANCE AND IMPROVEMENT, 
 
 JO. Location of Roads. — -A public road is a highway of travel. 
 The land on which it is located belongs to the public. Some roads are 
 owned by individuals or corporations. Roads are usuallv located on 
 section or quarter section lines. Plat your congressional township and 
 school district and locate the roads. Calculate the number of acres in 
 the roads of the township ; of the school district. Owners on either 
 side of a proposed road are required, by law, to give half of the land for 
 the road. Give the legal processes necessary in locating a new road ; 
 include the petition, the duties of the County Court, the County Sur- 
 veyor and the Road Overseer (State Road Law). Read in Roman His- 
 tory about the Appian Way and how it was constructed. The Romans 
 built roads that are in use to-day. The older countries of Europe have 
 far better roads than this country has. What determined the location 
 of roads in early settlements of Missouri? In these early settle- 
 
 6 
 
ments, the most level route was selected with little regard for boundary 
 lines. P'or this reason some of the old roads are the best. 
 
 tt* Valtte of Good Roads. — A road to be permanently good must 
 have a hard and smooth surface, regardless of weather, so that it may 
 be easily traveled at all seasons. A dirt road is one that uses the natur- 
 al surface of the ground with no other attempt at improvement, except 
 draining and grading. In locating roads, steep grades should be avoid- 
 ed. The grade or rise in a road should never be more than seven (7) 
 feet in one hundred. If the steepness of the grade increases, the weight 
 of the load must decrease. On a rise of one foot to the hundred, a 
 good horse can pull 900 pounds ; on a rise of ten feet to one hundred, 
 he can pull only 250 pounds. These figures show how important it is 
 to avoid very steep grades. With a carpenter's level and measuring 
 line, determine the grade of some of the steepest hills In the roads of 
 the neighborhood and calculate how much a good team can pull up 
 each. Teachers should take great pains to show pupils how to make 
 such measurements and should insist on accurate calculations. What 
 is the value of good roads? How does your community regard them.? 
 What is it doing to improve the roads? Have full written report from 
 every pupil on condition of public roads in the district. 
 
 12* Road Drainage. —Good drainage is as important as good grad- 
 ing. Wet spots soon become mud holes which prevent hauling heavy 
 loads. Wet spots should be tiled or underdrained. The surface water 
 should be carried off by open ditches which may be made at either side 
 of the road. The center of the road should be higher than the sides 
 in order to cause the surface water to run off. Water is the chief cause 
 of bad roads, whether it is upon the surface or in the soil. Weeds 
 should not be allowed to grow in the road because they make the road 
 bed soft and yielding. When cut or allowed to die in the fall their 
 roots hold moisture. A good road must have a firm bed ; for this pur- 
 pose neither mud nor sand will answer. Road beds are rendered firm 
 in several ways. A common method is by graveling. Since loose 
 gravel makes a heavy road, it should be packed with a roller. Large 
 unsightly ditches may be prevented by putting m a covered tile drain on 
 each side of the road and leaving a shallow ditch above it. Gravel 
 should be screened before putting it on roads ; the coarser portion 
 should be put down first and the finer on top. What is tiling? How 
 made? How used? Observe some good artificial drainage and write a 
 description of it. 
 
 J3. Artificial Roads. — Two kinds of artificial stone roads are the 
 
 7 
 
Macadam and the Telford. They take their names Irom the inventors 
 who were two vScotch engineers. A Macadam road is made by first 
 putting- down a layer of broken rock, none of the pieces to exceed three 
 inches in diameter. The layer is rolled and packed. On this layer is 
 placed another of smaller rock which is also rolled and packed. Lastly 
 a layer of finely crushed rock is put on which is wet and heavily rolled. 
 The Telford road is very much like the Macadam except that the first 
 layer is one of flat stones laid in somewhat regular order. Stone roads 
 will last for years and it will cost but little to keep them in repair. 
 There should be a dirt track on both sides of a stone road for use in 
 dry weather. Why? Early settlers in lowlands and swamps, made 
 roads of poles of uniform size, by laying them side by side across the 
 road. This gave a hard but rough surface. They were called "Cor- 
 duroy" roads. Find out if there are any gravel roads in Missouri. 
 Where are they? How are they kept up? 
 
 J4. Good Dirt Roads* — How to make the best dirt roads is the 
 great road problem in Missouri. Roads were worked in earlier times 
 with picks, shovels and hoes; later with plows and scrapers; following 
 these came the grader. The grader is an expensive machine, and, on 
 account of the number of horses required to draw it, it is not easily 
 managed. Mr. D. Ward King of Maitland, Mo., recommends dragging. 
 The drag is made by pinning the two halves of a split log together, 
 thirty inches apart, both flat sides facing the team. An old wagon tire 
 should be fastened on the front piece and a chain or heavy wire fast- 
 ened eighteen inches from each end with which to draw it. The team 
 should be so hitched as to drag the dirt towards the middle of the road. 
 vSome of the advantages of dragging are : the road is made smooth 
 and water flows off easily ; the old trail is destroyed and a new one is 
 made on a different part of the highway ; ruts are filled up and weeds 
 are killed while small. The drag should be used after a rain. The 
 road bed will soon become hard and smooth. The oftener the drao- is 
 used the better. A half mile of road can be worked in a few minutes 
 by a man and one team ; hence, the method is a very inexpensive one. 
 Where the method of dragging has been employed, it has proven very 
 satisfactory. Get some patron to make an experiment of road drag- 
 ging and have pupils observe results and make note of every pomt of 
 advantage or disadvantage. Write to Secy. Geo, B. Ellis, Columbia, 
 Mo., for bulletin on road making. 
 
 15, Experiments. — (a) Fill one quart tin can two-thirds full of sand 
 and another two- thirds full of clay. Scoop out a hole in each large 
 
 8 
 
enough to hold half a tea-cup of water, fill the holes with water and 
 set away for several minutes. Will clay or sandy roads dry quicker? 
 Which will hold water better? Which will make the better road sur- 
 face to turn water? (b) Have pupils draw map of school district on 
 scale of four inches to the mile. Designate all public roads by double 
 lines, farm houses by small circles and school house by small square. 
 After all have drawn maps, teacher should point out inistakes and have 
 maps reproduced. Some pupil should then draw it on black-board on 
 scale of one foot to the mde. In this connection teach congressional 
 township, sections of land and other subdivisions. Teach how to de- 
 scribe land and make many problems concerning land measuring. 
 
 t6* Influence of Roads. — Good roads exert great influence on the 
 community. With them better schools, better churches, more money 
 and more business are possible. The work of country schools depends 
 largely on the condition of the roads. When roads become very bad, 
 many children are prevented from attending school and sometimes the 
 school is closed on this account. For this reason, many people leave 
 their farms and move to town. Regular church attendance in the coun- 
 try is dependent on good roads. Social life is also influenced by the 
 condition of the roads. In many localities the women and children are 
 cut off from any associations for weeks. Literary societies, debating 
 clubs and reading circles are impossible at certain seasons on account of 
 bad roads. In many communities the farmer spends too much of his 
 time in taking his produce to market. With good roads he could ac- 
 complish more in less time. The Rural Free Delivery is exerting a 
 beneficial influence upon road conditions. The roads must be passable 
 at all seasons before a route is established. W^ith more good roads, this 
 system will be extended, and with it the Department of Agriculture will 
 send the Daily Weather Reports, which will bring useful information to 
 the farmer. Ever)- step taken to make the way easy to scliool, to church, 
 to postofHce, to market and to the homes of neighbors is a step taken to 
 prevent the building of towns and cities out of the wreck of country 
 homes. 
 
 17* Road Laws. — The county court has power to classify public 
 roads as first, second and third class. First class roads lead to the coun- 
 ty seat; second class roads lead to other cities and towns of the county ; 
 all other public roads are third class. All public roads shall be not less 
 than thirty nor more than sixty feet wide, to be determined by the coun- 
 ty court. The county surveyor is ex-ofhcio road and bridge commis- 
 sioner. He surveys new roads and superintends the construction of 
 
 9 
 
bridges, under the direction of the county court. A petition for a new- 
 road must contain the names of at least twelve property holders ; it must 
 specify the beginning, course and termination of the road. Road over- 
 seers are appointed b}^ road commissioners or elected by resident tax 
 payers of the road district. They are paid two dollars per day. Poll 
 taxes may be paid by working the roads. A man and team are allowed 
 two dollars per day while working out poll taxes. Work on the public 
 roads must be done between the first day of March and the first day of 
 September. When vehicles meet on the public roads, each must turn to 
 the right according to law. It is a misdemeanor to run horses, to shoot 
 at marks, to destroy mile posts or guide boards on the public roads, or 
 to obstruct the public roads in any way. In moving engines, exceeding 
 one ton in weight, over culverts and bwdges, planks not less than one 
 foot wide and three inches thick, must be laid. Persons moving engines 
 threshing machines, mowing machines, etc., when meeting any one on 
 horseback or in a vehicle, must stop and remain standing until the per- 
 son on horseback or in the vehicle has passed. The penalty for failure 
 to do this is not less than five nor more than one hundred and fifty 
 dollars. 
 
 III. STUDIES ON SEEDS AND RELATED SUBJECTS* 
 
 \S* Gefmination of Seeds. — Plants, with few exceptions, spring 
 from seed. The germ or young plant is surrounded with starch and 
 sugar on which the young plant feeds before nourishment is supplied by 
 the soil. The germ is composed mostly of protein substances which 
 are especially valuable for food. Germination is produced by heat and 
 moisture. By a chemical change, the insoluble substances are rendered 
 soluble, upon which the young plant feeds before issuing from the seed. 
 When the seed begins to sprout, the radicle or root appears first. The 
 root enters the soil. The stem or plumule appears next and turns to- 
 wards the light. When the soluble material of the seed is used up, 
 germination ends ; then the plant feeds upon the soil and air, and the 
 seed is of no further use. Plowing, harrowing and rolling the soil be- 
 fore planting is for the purpose of improving heat and moisture condi- 
 tions which aid germination, and for producing a seed bed in which 
 young plants may easily take root. 
 
 i9* Vitality of Seed* — A seed must contain a living germ or it will 
 not sprout. Only those seeds having the strongest vitality should be 
 
planted. Corn, wheat, oats, potatoes, bluegrass and clover often give 
 poor yields on account of weak vitality of the seed. Seeds lose their 
 vitality with age. Beans, peas and corn are good for two years ; lettuce 
 and radishes for three years ; melon and squash, six to eight vears. It 
 is well to select the largest, plumpest corn, wheat, oats and clover for 
 seed ; the yield will be much larger ; it will be less affected by drouth, 
 poorly prepared soil and other unfavorable conditions. In sowing very 
 small seeds, suoh as timothy and clover, it is. supposed that about one 
 seed in five or ten will grow. This loss is due to drought, poorly 
 prepared soil and lack of vitality in seed. Seeds should be selected that 
 have grown on soil of about the same fertility as that in which they will 
 be planted. Make collection of seeds of all kinds of grains and grasses 
 grown in the district ; of fruits and of garden products. Small bottles of 
 uniform size, properly labeled, should contain samples of seeds. Test 
 their vitality. 
 
 20. Experiment* — ('0 Fill two tin cans with clean sand. Plant 
 in one a dozen plump kernels of wheat ; in the other, a dozen shrunken 
 kernels. Water from time to time. Which kind of wheat sprouted the 
 quicker? Which grew more rapidly ? Wliich plants were the larger? 
 What lessons learned from this? (b) Put in bottom of a deep dinne 
 plate or a pie pan four thicknesses of cotton flannel. Sprinkle with 
 wheat, keeping count of the number of grains. Cover with two thick- 
 nesses of cloth. Keep in warm place. (Sand may be used instead of 
 cloth.) Cover top of pan with a pane of glass. Keep cloths moist. 
 Observe how many of the seeds sprouted. What per cent? About 
 Qc'per'"cent''of''oood'seedr^wheat should grow. 
 
 2 J. Parts of Seeds.— (J) Outer parts.— (a) Hilum or scar, the 
 joint where the seed was attached, sometimes called the eye ; (b) micro- 
 pyle, minute opening near hilum. (c) Seed Coats, testa or outer coat 
 and tegmen or mner coat. (2). Inner parts — (a) Cotyledons, thicken- 
 ed leaves in which nourishment is stored. When there are but two, the 
 plant is a dicotyledon ; when but one, a monocotyledon, (b) Plumule, 
 small terminal bud lying between the cotyledons or embedded in it when 
 there is but one. (c) Radicle or root within seed coats, (d) Em- 
 bryo, the small plant within the seed coats. 
 
 22. Experiment. — (a) Soak some corn, beans, peas, squash and 
 pumpkin seed and find these parts. Measure length and circumference of 
 some of these seeds ; place in a germinating pan, described in paragraph 
 20 (b). Remove carefully every two days and measure. Make a rece 
 ord of all your observations, (b) Secure a dozen plump grains of sed- 
 
 II 
 
corn. Trim half dozen of them down leaving only small amount of 
 seed, but preserve the <4erm. Plant the dozen in a box. Keep soil 
 moist but not hot. Observe the difference in the growth. What lesson 
 does it teach? (c) Test the germinating power of some kernels of 
 seed corn. Repeat several times and compute the average. What per 
 cent is good ? Discover, if possible, why some kernels do not germi- 
 nate. Test the vitality of many different kinds of seed. 
 
 23* Corn Planting. — Corn is a general term which embraces maize 
 oats, wheat, rye barley and rice. Cereal is another term including the 
 same grains. In ordinary use, corn means Maize, or Indian corn. This 
 plant was first discovered in America. Its native home was probably 
 Mexico. Name the great corn producing states which form the corn- 
 belt. A rich, loose warm soil is best for corn. A shallow or worn-out 
 soil should not be used. Plow deep and make the surface mellow be- 
 fore planting. Make drawing showing the different ways of planting 
 corn. Good seeds are necessary and should be selected with care. Ex- 
 amine a dry grain of corn on both faces. Notice the grooved side ; the 
 yellow outer portion Is the endosperm ; the depression is the embryo or 
 germ. Which is the hardest part? Soak for 24 hours and note the 
 change. Compare the parts of a grain of wheat with those of a grain 
 of corn. Why will seeds not sprout in soil that is very dry? In soil 
 that is full of water? In soil that is too cold? If planted too deep? 
 
 24* Corn Growing. — Count successively one hundred stalks in 
 each of three or four cornfields. Note how many are barren ; how 
 many have more than one ear to the stalk ; how many have just one ear 
 to the stalk. Find per cent in each case. Do all ears grow the same 
 height from the ground? Where does best corn grow on the stalk? 
 Seed corn should not be selected from a field where there are many bar- 
 ren stalks; why? Is it best to select seed from a stalk bearing one ear 
 or two? Why? Measure several best quarter acres of corn in the dis- 
 trict. Test each as to number of stalks, number of ears, amount of shell- 
 ed corn, percentage of corn to the cob. Note all differences in soil, in 
 seed, in cultivation and discover the reasons. May there be too many 
 stalks? Too few? The per cent, of broken and barren stalks should 
 be as small as possible. 
 
 25. Experiment. — (a) Plant a small patch of corn, using for seed, 
 corn that grew one ear to a stalk ; plant another patch of the same 
 size in another part of the field, using as seed, corn that grew two ears 
 to a stalk. Cultivate both in the same way. When the corn is gath- 
 ered, count the ears and weigh the corn. Send the results in writing to 
 
 12 
 
your local paper. (b) Plant five plats of two rows each, twenty feet 
 long and treat each differently as follows: (i) Do not cultivate, let 
 weeds grow ; (3) Mulch w^ith straw ; (3) Give shallow^ cultivation, not 
 deeper than three inches and at least five times during the growing sea- 
 son ; (4) Give deep cultivation at least five inches and very close to the 
 roots ; (5) Prune roots with a sharp knife, six inches deep, ten inches 
 from stalk and cultivate five times. Note result at gathering time. 
 This experiment shows that the roots of growing corn should not be 
 disturbed or broken. 
 
 26 Cof n Jtidging. — ^Ears of corn should be well proportioned, the 
 butts and tips full, the rows straight and the kernels uniform. Bring 
 to school an ear of corn on which the rows have a spiral arrangement; 
 bring one on which a beak is found on the ci'own of the kernel. These 
 are signs of degeneracy. No such ears should be used for seed. Rows 
 of corn on the cob should not be too far apart. Bring samples to school. 
 Shell off three or four rows. Are the kernels dented on crown? Are 
 they uniform in size or appearance? They should be plump and full 
 at the tip and should have larg-e germs. Break several ears of corn and 
 note the relative amounts of cob and of kernel. Short grains are not 
 best. Why? Grains very long in proportion to size of the cob, are 
 not so hardy. Bring to school an ear of corn that is not matured at the 
 butt; bring one that is not matured at the tip; bring one on which there 
 is no regularity of the rows of kernels. Do these characteristics indicate 
 weakness or strength ? 
 
 27 Corn-Contest — (a) Get every boy who is twelve or more 
 years old to compete in contest to see who can grow^ the best eighth of an 
 acre of corn (5 rds. by 4 rds.). Secure the same seed corn for alL Some 
 interested patron wdio is a successful corn grower may furnish it from 
 his own growing or he may secure it from some one who has a highly 
 improved variety of corn. Every boy should select his own land, pre- 
 pare it, plant and till it by himself. Some good judge of corn should be 
 selected to inspect every entry in the contest sometime the next 
 September or October and make detailed report. If some interested par- 
 ty would offer a prize or offer to pay high prices for the best corn raised, 
 it will stimulate more pupils to try and all to greater effort. Report re- 
 sults of contest to the county superintendent of schools and to the local 
 papers, (b) Have every pupil bring to school the best three ears of 
 corn that he can find. Invite patrons to the contest. Secure the best 
 judge who is not interested in any contestant to determine who has select- 
 ed the best corn and to report on the points considered. This contest may 
 
 13 
 
be converted into a frnit, grain and vegetable show and held sometime 
 about Thanksgiving. County Superintendents may provide a contest 
 between schools at the county teachers' associations. 
 
 28 Seed Corn. — Seed corn should be gathered in the field. Why? 
 Poor ears should be rejected. The butts and tips should not be used 
 for seed. VVhy.f* Ears should be assorted according to size of kernel 
 and kernels of uniform size planted together. Why? Plant three ker- 
 nels in a hill. Put some of the large kernels in your planter and work 
 the lever one hundred times. Note how many it drops each time. 
 What per cent of the hills had three grains? What, more? What, 
 fewer? Discover the necessity of regulating the planter to the size of 
 the kernels and of having kernels of uniform size. Seed corn should 
 be put in a well ventilated place to dry thoroughly. It can then be put 
 away for use and there will be no danger of freezing. W^rite an essay 
 describing good seed corn. 
 
 29 Observation and Field Work.- Is the upper portion of a young 
 corn plant stalk or leaf? Note shape of young leaves. Note changes 
 as they grow older. Note division of leaf into blade and sheath, rela- 
 tive length and position of each. Where is the blade the fullest, at edge 
 or at mid-rib? Observe a field of corn when blown by the wind and 
 see if you can give a reason for this. Note what provision is made to 
 keep water from running between sheath and stalk. Cut a stalk 
 crosswise. Where does its strength he? What do you notice in the 
 pith? Note groove on the node. In which node is it deepest? 
 Which nodes are the shortest? The thickest? The nearest round? 
 Give reasons. Note the brace roots of the stalk. Give their uses. 
 Note carefully how deep the roots penetrate the soil ; how much they 
 spread. Why do corn leaves curl during drought? Make drawing of 
 an entire corn plant two weeks old ; of one, two months old ; of one, 
 fully matured. On which part of the stalk do the stamens grow? the 
 pistils? If the tassels were cut off, what would result? Compare corn 
 with other cereals as to length of time it may remain on stalk after 
 ripening. What is fodder? How harvested? How taken care of? 
 How fed? What value in proportion to corn? What is ensilage? 
 The pith of the stalk is used for what? The husks? Some varieties 
 of corn are known as high protein, others as low protein. What is 
 meant? For what is each best? Write essav on uses of corn. 
 
 30 Experiment — (a) Make a small bed and lay off three rows in 
 it. In one row^ plant kernels of corn taken from the tip of the ear; in 
 another, kernels taken from the middle, and in the other, kernels taken 
 
 H 
 
from the butt. Note the relative g-rowth made by each. vState some 
 concUisions drawn from this, (b) Secure box two feet square or 
 larger. Fill with good soil. Plant dozen grains of corn, of wheat and 
 of beans, one inch deep. Same number three inches deep. Same num- 
 ber six inches deep. Find average length of time for each kind of plant 
 to appear. How deep should each kind be planted? How does depth 
 of planting affect germination.'' 
 
 3J. Experiment. — (a) Measure a bushel of corn on the cob; 
 shell it and note how much of its original space it occupies. What de- 
 ductions should be made for cob when buying corn by measurement? 
 When buying by weight? (b) Cut a bundle of green corn and weigh 
 it. Strip off blades and corn and weigh stalks, blades and corn sepa- 
 rately. Let them dry thoroughly and weigh again. Give per cent, of 
 loss in each. What was lost? What practical lesson learned from this? 
 
 32. Problems and Observations. — (a) Careful observers say that it 
 takes 270 pounds of water to mature one pound of dry corn. If a farm- 
 er produces two and one half tons of dry corn per acre, how many tons 
 of water will it rec[uire? An ordinary pail holds about twenty five 
 pounds. How many pails will it take to the acre? How many gallons 
 to the acre? (b) Make observations and study bulletins on enemies of 
 the corn plant. Make full notes on several enemies of the corn plant 
 and remedies for each. 
 
 33. "Wheat and Its Uses- — (a) Have pupils bring a handful of 
 wheat to school for study. Note whether the grains are the same size, 
 shape, color. Cut a grain cross-wise ; note the germ which contains 
 much protein substance ; note the starchy matter. From which portion 
 is the ^nest flour made? Of what use is the skin to the germ? Of 
 what use is it commercially? Chew a mouthful of wheat; a part is 
 soon dissolved; part remains. What dissolves? What is the remaining 
 part? Write a description of a grain of wheat, and of its parts, (b) 
 Learn the different processes through which wheat passes in milling. 
 What is bran? JSliddlmgs? Shipstuffs? Discover the relative value 
 of each as feed for stock. To what stock feed each? How? Name 
 different grades of flour and tell uses of each. Write an essay on 
 the different uses of wheat. 
 
 34. Observations on "Wheat. — How many bushels of wheat should 
 be sown on an acre? Tell different ways in which wheat is sown. 
 When is wheat sown in Missouri? When in Minnesota? Name three 
 ways in which a growing wheat crop may be damaged. How prevent 
 damage in each case. Write an essay on preparing soil for sowing 
 
wheat. Notice the heighth of wheat when it begins to head. Com- 
 pare this with the height when full grown. Notice when the grain 
 begins to ripen. Vvhen ripe, what difference? Note arrangements of 
 seed in the head. How many seed in head? Count seed in a dozen 
 heads and average. Name the different methods by which wheat has 
 been harvested, beginning with the earliest and concluding with the 
 latest. Give in the same manner, the different methods by which wheat 
 has been threshed. Why do some farmers stack wheat? Name uses 
 of wheat straw. Give the bad results from cutting wheat before it has 
 ripened. The results from letting it remain too long before cutting. 
 
 35, Wheat Problems* — (a) How many bushels of wheat were 
 crrown on your home farm last season? How many bushels were 
 grown in the school district? How many acres were sown on your 
 home farm; How many sown in the district? What was the average 
 yield per acre on your home farm? The average h: the district? How 
 many days' work to prepare soil? How many to sow wheat? How 
 many to harvest? How many to thresh? How many bushels of wheat 
 to the day's work? (b) Teach pu])ils how to measure land and deter- 
 mine areas. Pupils should learn number of acres in the different fields 
 they know and keep records of yield from year to year. There can be 
 no better arithmetic for future farmers, (c) Measure your wagon l)Ox 
 and tell how many bushels of wheat it will hold. A cubic foot holds 
 about four-fifths of a bushel. How many bushels of wheat will your 
 school room hold? What is it worth at the present market value? 
 How much fine Hour will each make? How nuich of each of the 
 other mill products? 
 
 36. Worth Knov/ino' Abo«t Wheat.— (a) Wlieat was first prob- 
 ably grown in Mesopotamia. It was grown m Palestine and Egypt in 
 very early times. It was brought to America soon after the discovery 
 by Columbus. Todav, the United States produces more wheat than 
 any other country, (b) Locate the wheat producing districts of the 
 United States. Where are the largest wheat farms? The largest flour 
 mills? What is meant by wheat passing through a "sweat?" Name 
 the largest wheat markets in the United States? Notice the quotation 
 of wheat, in St. Louis papers at least twice a week, for a month. 
 Compare it with the price of the local market. What grades of wheat 
 are usually sold in your local market? (c) Put a pint of wheat in a 
 small box or can and sprinkle about a half tea-cup of water over it. 
 Cover and set away for a few days. Notice the effect. Why doej 
 dampness injure the value of wheat? What lessons do we learn relating 
 
 i6 
 
to the care of wheat from this? (d) In what way is straw used for 
 fuel? For shelter? For clothinc^? For food? Carefully prepare a 
 written statement of the results of all experiments and observations on 
 wheat. 
 
 IV, STUDIES ON PLANTS. 
 
 37, Parts and Classification of Plants. —The parts of a plant are 
 root, stem, leaves and flower. Every plant must care for two thincrs : 
 (i) its own support (nutrition), (2) the production of other plants like 
 itself, (reproduction). Each part of a plant has a special function or 
 work to perform. Some plants are green, some are not. The green 
 coloring is due to chlorophyll or plant green. It is generated in the 
 light only. Plants containing chlorophyll are able to manufacture their 
 own food out of water, soil materials and gases. Plants that do not 
 contain chlorophyll are not able to manufacture their own food, but are 
 dependent upon other things just as animals are. An association of 
 plants living together under similar conditions forms a plant society. 
 The things that influence the growth of plants and cause them to form 
 societies are water, heat, soil and light. Discover a society of . plants 
 due to water; one due to heat; one due to soil ; one due to light. Name 
 the plants of each society. What is an annual? A biennial? A 
 perennial? Name two of each. 
 
 38* Roots. — The uses of roots are (i) to support or prop the 
 plant, (2) to absorb plant food from the soil. The tap root of trees 
 penetrates the earth many feet. Why? Notice the small hairy roots 
 found on nearly all plants. Give their uses. Roots need air; if covered 
 with water, the supply of air is cut off. Give an example of water 
 roots, air roots, clinging roots, prop roots. Name a dozen roots that are 
 used for food. Examine roots of many grains, grasses and weeds and 
 list them as "wet weather plants" and "dry weather plants." How do 
 their roots differ? 
 
 39. Stems. — The stem is that part of the plant which grows above 
 the root and supports the leaves, flowers and fruit. vSome stems grow 
 under the ground. Only the leaves pf such plants appear above the 
 ground. This underground position is a good one for protection against 
 cold or drought. Give several examples of this kind of stem. Some 
 plants are procumbent; they lie prostrate on the ground. There is 
 economy in building material in these plants, for it is not necessary for 
 
them to be so rigid as to stand. Give several examples of this class. 
 Floating stems are found in water. They are supported and stand erect 
 in water but collapse when taken out. Give several examples of this 
 class. Climbing stems are numerous. Some climb by twining about 
 their support; some, by putting out tendrils to grasp the support; others 
 by sending out suckers to act as holdfasts. Give several examples of 
 each. The erect type is the most familiar. It is the type common to 
 some of the smallest flowers and shrubs and also to the largest trees. 
 Stems tend to support their leaves in such a way that they may receive 
 light. Notice different kinds of trees and see if the branches are ar- 
 ranged with that end m view. An important function of stems is to 
 conduct moisture and plant foods, absorbed by the roots, to the leaves, 
 flowers and fruits. What is sap? Give uses of sap in commerce. 
 What is sap wood? Heart wood? Collect a great variety of stems 
 and study their ciiaracterisUcs such as the grain of woods, rings denot- 
 ing age, pith and its purposes. Name a dozen uses that man makes of 
 the stems of plants. 
 
 40. Leaves. — The principal parts of a leaf are blade, stalk or 
 petiole, and two little leaflike bodies on the stalk, called stipules. 
 Leaves have a characteristic green color. This color is due to light 
 Plants that grow in the dark do not have this green color. Name some. 
 Place a green plant in a cellar for a week. What happens? Put a 
 board on the green grass for a week. Notice results, Whv are not 
 both sides of a leaf alike? Leaves serve several purposes. They take 
 in carbon dioxide of the air and prepare the carbon for plant food. In 
 dry climates, leaves are very thick. An example of this is the cactus. 
 Give reason for this. Some leaves are covered with spines; why? 
 Why do the leaves of the dr}' regions of Australia assume a vertical 
 position? About half of the dr}' weight of a plant is carbon. How is 
 it taken into the plant? The nitrogen of plants is obtained from both 
 the soil and air. The seed contains more nitrogen than the leaf or stalk 
 and is therefore more nutritious. The color of a plant determines its 
 vigor which is due to iron taken from the soil. Name a dozen leaves 
 that are directly useful to man. What effect will dust and smoke parti- 
 cles have on green leaves? 
 
 41. Experiment. — (a) Put a^green leaf into a glass of water, ex- 
 pose to light and notice the bubbles that rise. They are oxygen. 
 Whence did the bubbles come? Put the glass in a dark place and notice 
 the result, (b) Take a good vigorous leaf with a long stem ; pass the 
 stem through a hole in a piece of card board and cover a glass filled with 
 
 i8 
 
water with the cardboard, lettinj^- the stem of the leaf rest in the water. 
 Place an inverted <;lass the same size as the first, over the blade of the 
 leaf ; the card board should be wide enough to cover the mouths of the 
 glasses. Notice for moisture in the inverted glass. State where it 
 came from. Do leaves exhale moisture? 
 
 42. Experiment. — Cut a large bundle of weeds, wrap in paper or 
 cloth and weigh. Deduct the weight of paper or cloth. Put away and 
 when weeds are thoroughly dry, weigh again. Is there a gain or a 
 loss? How do you account tor it? What has been lost? Put the dry 
 weeds on a' large stone, piece of tin or brick walk and burn. Weigh 
 the ashes. Give difference between weight of dry weeds and ashes. 
 How do you account for the loss? Try this experiment with several 
 kinds of plants and note variation in percentage of ashes. What lessons 
 learned from tliis? 
 
 43. Relation to Soil. — Plants affect the soil. Their roots pene- 
 trate the crevices of rocks and assist in the work of disintegration. 
 Decayed leaves and stems form a large portion of the rich, black soil. 
 The roots of certain plants as clover, alfalfa, cow peas and soy beans, 
 enter the subsoil and bring up nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. 
 The roots of grasses hold the soil together and prevent it from washing. 
 What grasses are best for hill sides? What grasses grow best m your 
 community? Why? Why will not others grow there just as well? 
 Study the roots of wheat, corn, clover, cow peas. Compare them. 
 Note difference. Do they support or prop the plant or do they supply 
 it with food? Notice the depth at which they enter the ground. Notice 
 how much ground they spread over. Study the stalks of these plants. 
 Compare them as to position ; as to length. Cut the stalk crosswise. 
 Notice it carefully. Which part conducts the plant food from the 
 ground? Compare the leaves of each. Which would stand drought 
 best? Why? Notice surface of leaves. Make note of difference. 
 
 44. Position of Buds. — Make a collection of twigs from apple, 
 peach, pear, elm, hickory, walnut and other trees. Notice the arrange- 
 ment of the buds ; are they opposite or alternate? Is there a terminal 
 bud? If so, compare it with the lateral buds. Notice for rmgs around 
 the twig. What do they tell or indicate? Notice the leaves and buds 
 on the branch of an apple. How many leaves at a place on the last 
 year's growth? On the previous year's growth? Notice relative posi- 
 tion of leaf and bud. Are all buds found in the axil of leaves? Notice 
 for young shoots or short lateral branches. On which year's growth do 
 they appear? From what did they spring? Notice buds and leaves on 
 
 19 
 
the tree and see which is the larger, those that have plenty of room and 
 sunlig-ht or the reverse. Notice if the larg-est buds are found on any 
 particular part of the twii(. Are apples formed at the side or end of a 
 twig"? 
 
 45* Kinds of Buds- — The arrangement of leaves in a bud is called 
 vernation. vSome are arranged alternately ; others have opposite ar- 
 rangement. Cut an apple bud crosswise and notice the arrangement. 
 Examine a bud closely and see if a clump of knobs is found in center; 
 if so, it is a fruit bud. If, mstead, there is a group of slender points, 
 tiny folded leaves, it is a leaf bud. vSee if you can tell a fruit bud from 
 a leaf bud, from external appearance. With the point of a knife or pin 
 take off the scales that cover the buds. Notice color of scale leaf, the 
 difference from a foliage leaf ; give cause of difference. Leaves of buds 
 are close together and overlap. Give the reason for this. Examine 
 twigs of different fruit trees and make written statement of your dis- 
 coveries. 
 
 46. Experiment. — Collect twigs of oak, hickory, willow, soft 
 maple and lilac. Put in glass of water and keep in warm place, if 
 weather is cool. Make a note of the order in which they are affected 
 by the water. What effect do you notice? After they have expanded 
 for several days, notice which arc leaf buds and which flower buds. 
 Cut some fruit buds cross-wise and note the appearance of the young 
 fruit. Put some buds in a mixture of salt and ice ; let them remain at 
 least six hours ; then take them out and keep in a moderately warm 
 place. Examine the young fruit again. 
 
 47. Growth of Twigs. — A twig that bears fruit does not increase 
 in length. Why? A dormant bud does not produce leaves or flowers. 
 If other buds are destroyed, dormant buds become productive and cease 
 to be dormant, a wise provision in case of emergency. Study a number 
 of apple twigs ; notice the rings and determine the age of each part of 
 the branch ; notice the leaf scars, the size of the buds, the lateral branch- 
 es and dormant buds. Trees having terminal buds, make a definite 
 growth each season ; others make an indefinite growth. This has a 
 definite effect upon the mode of branching. The young tender buds on 
 trees of indefinite growth are easily killed, hence the new branches 
 must spring from the stronger buds near the base of the branch. This 
 mode of branching gives to trees their bushy aspect. Observe some 
 trees or shrubs of this nature and write a composition giving result of 
 observation. A node is the point •on the stem where the bud or leaf is 
 attached ; an internode is the interval between buds or branches. When 
 
 20 
 
more than one bud develops at a node, all except the one in the axil of 
 the leaf are supernumerary or accessory. Adventitious buds seem to 
 appear by chance, sometimes on roots and sometimes on l)ranchcs, else- 
 where than at leaf axils. They appear readily when the plant has been 
 injured by a wound. Dormant buds may lie dormant for months or 
 years and then devxdop into a branch. Why do sprouts start from 
 stumps when they did not i^rovv when the tree was stancUng-? 
 
 4S, The Character of Trees* —Study twigs from walnut. Note 
 little oblong- cork-like spots that dot the surface of a twig. They are 
 called lenticles. They are pores through which a small amount of air 
 passes to the inner parts of the stem. Look for them on the peach and 
 cherry trees. Study twigs of elm and hickory. Note arrangement of 
 buds, the leaf scars, the vernation. What special provision is made for 
 protection from cold.^ In tropical forests, trees do not develop bud 
 scales. Why? Make written report on this study. Compare the 
 bark of young twigs with that of the older portions of same tree, as to 
 color, thickness, roughness. On which would extreme cold have the 
 greatest effect.? Will young trees suffer more than old ones from cold.? 
 From drouc^ht? Whv in each case.? 
 
 ORCHARDING AND GARDENING. 
 
 49* S'iic for Orchard* — A gentle eastern or northeastern slope is 
 desirable for an orchard site. Timber land is better than prairie. Trees 
 grow best in loam or loess soil, l)ut those grown on clay soil stand 
 cold better. Land should be plowed deep and well pulverized before 
 planting. Plow in "lands" so as to make an open furrow where each 
 row of trees is to be set. After the trees are set, back furrow so as to 
 make the furrows midway between the rows of trees. This gives a 
 deeper cultivation under the trees and drains the water from the trees. 
 If the soil is lacking in fertility, it should be manured before plowing. 
 Unleached wood ashes are excellent for an orchard. If the land is wet, 
 it should be drained or tiled ; subsoiling will afford temporary drainage 
 in clay soil. When possil)le, the site should be more elevated tlian the 
 immediate surroundings since free circulation of air prevents injury 
 from late spring frosts. This is especially applicable to peach orchards. 
 
 50, The Apple Orchard* — i\pple trees are sometimes planted one 
 rod b}^ two rods apart. W^hen they begin to overlap, they are cut out 
 to two rods each way. Sometimes they are planted 32 by 40, or 40 by 
 
 21 
 
4o; then it is possible to grow corn, beans, potatoes, or other crops be» 
 tween the rows. The cultivation of these crops holds moisture in the 
 soil and the trees become more healthy and vigorous. Wide rows af- 
 ford freer circulation of air and more sunshine, both of which are nec- 
 essary to well-developed and higl}'- colored fruit. Small grain should 
 never be grown in an orchard. Plat a two acre apple orchard with the 
 different kinds of planting described above. Early spring is con- 
 sidered the better time for planting. Strong, stocky trees, one or two 
 years old, should be selected. Trees in which the trunk divides into 
 sharp forks, split easily and should not be selected. Before planting, 
 the top of the tree should be cut to correspond to the roots. The tree 
 should lean a little to the southwest in order to stand against winds; 
 it should be planted about one inch deeper than it grew before trans- 
 planting. The ground in an orchard should be plowed every year un- 
 til the trees begin to bear. It may then be sown with red clover which 
 should be turned under every two or three years. If trees are planted 
 40 feet each way, how many will there be on an acre? .If two rods 
 each way, how many to the acre? If they bear S bushels to the tree 
 and sell for 35 cents per bushel, how much will an acre be worth in 
 each case ? 
 
 5U Pruning Trees. — Pruning should be done while trees are 
 young; they are easier to shupe and healing is more rapid. The best 
 time for pruning is early spring. Care should be taken in this work ; 
 the shape and nature of the trees must be considered ; the object is to 
 admit sunlight and air and to prevent too much wood growth. .Should 
 pruning be done close to the body of the tree? Will the healing be 
 quicker? Give the object of pruning so far as the fruit is concerned. 
 Note the size of fruit on a tree that has never been pruned. Some al- 
 low apple trees to branch 4 or 5 feet from the ground ; others, 2 or 3 
 feet. Give the advantages of high branching ; of low branching. Cut 
 off branches at different distances from the main stem, some close, some 
 one inch, some two inches. Cut some parallel to main stem and some 
 square across the branch. Observe late in fall and see if scars have 
 healed. Observe second year for scars. Make full notes on "pruning." 
 The enemies of fruit trees are the borer, bark louse, aphis, caterpillar, 
 codling moth, canker worm, bitter rot, leaf blight, scab and rust. (i) 
 Insects may be destroyed by using a kerosene emulsion. To make it, 
 dissolve one-half pound of soap in one gallon of soft water, add two 
 gallons of kerosene and from ten to twelve gallons of water. Use with 
 a spray. (2) For leaf blight, bitter rot, scab and rust, use a spray called 
 
 22 
 
Bordeaux mixture. To make it, put six pounds of copper sulphate in a 
 cloth bag- and suspend it in an earthen or wooden vessel containing six 
 gallons of water, until the sulphate is dissolved ; then dissolve four 
 pounds of quick lime in an equal amount of water and add enough wat- 
 er to make forty gallons of the mixture. (3) The San Jose Scale is one 
 of the worst enemies of an orchard. It is a very small insect, but it 
 mulliplies so rapidly that it is to be dreaded. A vigorous spraying of a 
 strong kerosene emulsion may check them, but if there is any doubt 
 about killing them, it is better to burn the tree. Examine and describe 
 each of these enemies found in the district. 
 
 52. Observations* — How protect young trees from mice and rab- 
 bits? When is it necessary to give such protection? In gathering 
 fruit, care should be taken not to break the stem nor bruise the skin. 
 The fruit should be packed tightly in boxes or barrels and kept in a 
 cool place. Pack a small box with some winter apples. Put the box 
 in a dark cool place. When the weather turns cool, wrap the box care- 
 fully to keep it dark and put in a place where the apples will freeze. 
 Let it remain until late winter or spring; open and notice how many cf 
 the apples are sound. Make a list of ten best varieties of apples grown 
 in Missouri. What special merit has each? What are best qualities for 
 commercial apples? What for home use? Plow may cider be kept 
 sweet? Write an essay on the different uses of apples. 
 
 53. Propagation. — Give pupils some training in the mechanics of 
 grafting nnd budding. The teacher may secure help from some ex- 
 perienced nurseryman or orchardist. Encourage pupils to make grafts 
 at home and set them out. In grafting, what are the stock ; the scion ; 
 whip grafting ; cleft grafting; budding; cutting; layering? Name a 
 fruit that is propagated by grafting; by budding; by cuttings; by layer- 
 ing. Send to Agricultural College, Columbia, Mo., for Bulletin on 
 "Plant Propagation." 
 
 54. Grapes. — Tell how soil should be prepared for grape planting, 
 give method of planting, distance of rows apart, distance of plants in 
 rows. How old should vines be when set out? Which are the best 
 fertilizers for a vineyard? How do grape vines climb? Note arrange- 
 ment of leaves and blossoms ; compare them with other leaves and blos- 
 soms that you have studied. Give the method of pruning in order to 
 produce the best fruit. When should pruning be done? What protec- 
 tion should be given for winter? How have the tame varieties of grapes 
 been produced? Name some of the best varieties. What is the object of 
 "bagging" grapes? Tell how grapes should be picked for market. 
 
 23 
 
What is "oirdlin*^^" a g-rape vine? Why is it done? Tell how crrapc 
 vines are increased by cuttings; by layerings ; by grafting. Make some 
 cuttings and some layerings. Note which takes root in the ground first; 
 which grows the best. Tell how to make a graoe arbor. Tell how 
 wine is made. 
 
 55. Berries* — Are strawberries annuals, biennials or perennials? 
 When should they l:)e set out? Give the method of setting out ; distance 
 of plant,s apart; distance of rows apart; what kind of soil is best? Tell 
 how to prepare it. How cultivate them? What provision should be made 
 for the winter? Study strawberry blossoms. Find some that have pis- 
 tils but no stamens ; find some that have both pistils and stamens ; What 
 caution is necessary in selecting plants? Name some of the best varie- 
 ties. Compare leaves and blossoms of strawberry, apple and wild rose. 
 Note how leaves are arranged on the branches ; at what time the blos- 
 soms appear. Cut a strawberry lengthwise, look for the seed. What is 
 the part that we call the berry? Tell how strawberries should be pick- 
 ed, assorted, boxed and marketed. Study the raspberry following as far 
 as possible, the plan of study of the strawberry. Note similarities, dif- 
 ferences of stems, blossoms and fruit. Name varieties of raspberries 
 that are grown in your community. State chief differences between red 
 raspberries and black ones (i) as to the fruit; (3) as to methods of prop- 
 agation. Which will spread the faster? Why? Have pupils bring 
 roots of both the black and red raspberries to school and compare them. 
 Note which produces the greatest number of shoots. Tell why these 
 should be kept back. vStudy blackberry in similar way. 
 
 56. Home Garden* — The garden should be near the house. If 
 possible, a loamy soil should be selected and well fertilized. It should 
 be well drained. A hedge of spruce or other trees will serve as a wind 
 break to protect the vegetables. The ground should be plowed deep, 
 early in the spring, and harrowed thoroughly. Plant rows three feet 
 apart across the slope so as to prevent washing and ditching and to con- 
 serve soil- moisture. Mark where each kind of seed is planted, by put- 
 ting- a flat stick at the end of each row with the name of the seed written 
 on it. Put the early vegetables in one part of the garden, the late vege- 
 tables in another. Corn and potatoes should be planted adjacent as they 
 require about the same tillage. Plan to cultivate with horse and plow. 
 Begin cultivating soon after planting. Keep the soil mellow and 
 clear of weeds. Weeds take from the soil plant food that is needed for 
 the crop. A pulverized surface or a fine mulch will conserve the mois- 
 ture during a drought. Several garden crops may be grown during one 
 
season on a deep, fine soil that has been treated with rich, well rotted 
 manure. The demand for plant food upon the soil is great and the sup- 
 ply should equal the demand. Collect soils from some of the richest 
 gardens in the district and test their qualities. Find out why some peo- 
 ple have better gardens than others. Have pupils make a plat of their 
 gardens ; show by lines and names where each kind of seed is planted. 
 Have them plat model gardens to grow vegetables for family use. Plat 
 five acres for commercial garden. 
 
 57- Commercial Gardeninj?:.— Some vegetables perish quickly and 
 are profitable only with ready access to market; others such as Irish 
 potatoes, onions and cabbage, can be shipped long distances. Raise the 
 best quality of vegetables, select the best varieties and use seed known 
 to be good. In the garden, as in everything, the best is the most eco- 
 nomical. Forcing beds and hot houses are used to produce very early 
 vegetables. Such vegetables command good prices. This kind of gar- 
 dening, managed properly pays well. It pays to plan well. Managing 
 ability is worth more than land. Tell in writing how to make a hot bed. 
 (Suggestion. In case it is too expensive to use glass for a cover, domes- 
 tic painted with Imseed oil, will answer.) Find the average yield per 
 acre of the Irish potato crop in your district. What are the returns per 
 acre, at 35 cents per bushel? Find the same for turnips and sweet 
 potatoes. Name the three most profitable garden vegetables raised in 
 the district. The report of a garden containing two and a quarter acres 
 near Paris, as given by Hunnicutt, is as follows : 
 
 Vegetables sold in one season $13,640.00 
 
 Annual rent paid $ 500.00 
 
 Paid for labor 5,500.00 
 
 Paid for manures 1,500.00 
 
 Sundry expenses 250.00 
 
 Interest on capital 750.00 
 
 Total Expenditures 8,500.00 
 
 Annual Profit $5,140.00 
 
 58. Enemies of Gardens* — Cabbage worms, plant lice, squash bugs, 
 cut worms,' rust and potato scab are the w^orst. Cabbage worms may 
 be destroyed by using Paris green ; plant lice by using a kerosene emul- 
 sion ; squash bugs must be picked off by hand and killed. They are 
 especially fond ot the squash vine. Plant squash among other melons. 
 The bugs will collect on the squash vine where they may be destroyed. 
 Cut worms may be destroyed by frequent cultivation which brings them 
 to the surface where they will be eaten by birds. Spray with Bordeaux 
 
mixture for rust and leaf blight ; soak seed potatoes in a solution of 
 formalin for potato scab. Make a list of vegetables of which the seed 
 arc used for food ; the stalk ; the root. 
 
 VL STUDY OF INSECTS. 
 
 59. Charactefistics. — Insects are divided into three parts, the head, 
 the thorax, and the abdomen. They breathe by means of air tubes, not 
 by means of lungs ; the blood is clear and cold and the skeleton is on 
 the outside of the body. Some of them live on land, some in v^^ater ; 
 some have wings, others have none ; some move by jumping, some by 
 walking, some by flying ; some bite and chew their food while others suck 
 it. Name the common insects of the community and classify them accord- 
 ing to the above statements. It is diflicult to determine whether insects 
 do more harm than good. Insects (i) destrov crops, (2) convey disease 
 by poisoning food, (3) cause disease by biting and stinging, (4) injure 
 stock, (5) injure buildings, (6) are annoying in many ways. Insects (i) 
 serve as scavengers, (2) fertilize flowers, (3) kill injurious insects, (4) 
 arc used in medicine, (5) furnish dye-stuff, (6) furnish material for making 
 ink, (7) supply material for food, (8) supply material for clothing. Give 
 example of each of the above. The damage done by insects in this 
 country and Canada is estimated at nearly four hundred million dollars 
 annually. How much damage was done by them in your school district 
 last vear? What profit were they to the district? 
 
 60. The Grasshopper. —Note its color, its method of locomotion. 
 Name its enemies, its food, and the injury which it does. Note the 
 shape of head and how attached to body ; number of feelers and how at- 
 tached to head. Find the jaws. Note shape of thorax. What parts 
 are joined to it? Compare the outer and inner wings in size, shape, col- 
 or, texture, position and use. Note the number, arrangement and mode 
 of attachment of legs. How does it use its legs when it is walking? 
 How does it keep from slipping when it jumps? Compare the abdomen 
 in length and size \vith the thorax. Count rings on the " abdomen. 
 Watch a grasshopper breathe; which part of the body does it use? 
 Could you kill a grasshopper by holding its head under water? Where 
 do grasshoppers lay their eggs? If possible, secure some of their eggs 
 for study. Name the damages done by grasshoppers. It is estimated 
 that they damage the farmers of the United States over $50,000,000 an- 
 nually. Its enemies are birds, toads, snakes and turtles. 
 
 26 
 
6J. The Honey Bee. — Follow plan of study of' the grasshopper. 
 Note carefully how many pairs of wings it has. The tongue of the bee 
 can be twisted like the trunk of the elephant. It has a small brush on the 
 end with which it sweeps the nectar out of the flowers. The nectar is 
 stored in a honey-bag, and when it is full, the bee goes home and stores 
 it away. Name the favorite blossoms from which honey is gathered. 
 What is the queen? A drone.'* A worker? In a hive there is one 
 queen, from five hundred to one thousand drones and twenty thousand 
 workers. The queen sometimes lays as many as two thousand eggs in 
 a day. The average life of the worker is about six weeks ; the queen 
 lives sometimes five years. What becomes of the drones? What is 
 "bee bread?" "Brood comb?" What causes bees to swarm? Name 
 the divisions of labor in a bee hive. What protection should be given 
 the hive during winter? How much honey is made in an ordinary hive 
 and what is it worth per pound? How is bees-wax prepared? Name 
 its uses. 
 
 62. Mosquitoes. — The eggs of the mosquito are found on the sur- 
 face of stagnant water. They hatch in a day and are known in the 
 young stage as "wrigglers." It takes from one to two weeks for them 
 to develop into mosquitoes. One female will lay from two hundred to 
 four hundred eggs in a day. Put some water containing "wrigglers" in 
 a glass jar and cover with a piece of gauze or cheese cloth. When 
 mosquitoes appear, put in a few drops of coal oil and notice result. 
 Why should stagnant pools be drained? If it is impossible to drain 
 such places, how can the mosquitoes be killed? Put some water con- 
 taining "wrigglers" in a glass jar in which there is a sun fish, perch, 
 bass, shiner or gold fish. Note the number of "wrigglers" the fish will 
 catch. Toads, fish, swallows and dragon flies devour large numbers of 
 misquitoes. What diseases are supposed to be spread by means of these 
 insects? 
 
 63. Well-Known Insects.— (a) Note color, color of wings and 
 odor of the chinch bug. Name plants upon which it feeds. They winter 
 in straw, weeds, brush and rubbish. Will they do more harm during a 
 wet season or a dry one? Why? Destroy chinch bugs by burning the 
 weeds, straw and rubbish in which they have hid for the winter. They 
 seldom fly but usually crawl. If a deep furrow is ploughed around a 
 crop, but few will be able to pass it. Dragging a log in the furrow will 
 kill many and at the same time pulverize the soil and render it more 
 difficult to cross, (b) Compare size of head of the squash bug with 
 body. Note the sharp beak and how it is bent. Does it jump, crawl or 
 
 27 
 
run? Note the odor. It lives upon the juices of plants. How does it 
 obtain its food? It is difficult to kill these bugs. A small board laid 
 near a young plant will furnish night shelter; they will collect under it 
 and can be killed every morning, (c) Where is the dragon fly usually 
 found? How many pairs of wings? Are they weak or strong ? Note 
 the position of its wings when at rest. Note its power of flight. It 
 lavs its eggs in water and feeds upon insects. Has it a sting? Is it 
 dangerous? Is it harmful or helpful to man? 
 
 VIL STOCK-RAISING AND FEEDING. 
 
 64' Mixed Farming. — All farmers should be stock farmers. 
 Stock raising and stock feeding are the most profitable kinds of farming. 
 Few farms in Missouri can be made most profitable without stock rais- 
 ing- or stock feedins". The chief aim in stock-farming is to feed the 
 grain and grass crops to stock instead of selling it. The principal 
 animals produced in Missouri are, (i) horses and mules, (2) cattle, (3) 
 hogs, (4) sheep and (5) poultry. Accurate information about stock and 
 care in handling are necessary to success in this industry. Stock should 
 be protected from rain and cold by being housed in a good warm stable 
 which should be well lighted and ventilated. The floor should be rais- 
 ed six or eight inches that it may be kept dry. Clay, when once thor- 
 oughly hardened, makes an excellent floor; cinders and gravel make 
 good floors ; board or concrete floors are good when covered with straw. 
 Any kind of floor should be cleaned often ; the cleaner the stables are 
 kept, the healthier will be the animals. After talking with some of the 
 best farmers of the district, write a description of a model 80 acre farm 
 and describe the character of the grain, grass and stock that may be 
 produced thereon. 
 
 65* Stock"Feeding* — The art of feeding is knowing how to furn- 
 ish the proper kinds and amounts of food. The rations should be regu- 
 lar in amount and quality, and selected according to the age of the 
 animal and purpose for which it is fed. Change of ration and regu- 
 larity as to time of feeding are as necessary for animals as for men. 
 To over-feed an animal is as bad as to under-feed it. Explain pastur- 
 ing ; stall-feeding ; '-roughing." An abundant supply of good water is 
 necessary. Muddy water often found in ponds may be full of germs 
 that produce disease in stock and may produce disease germs in milk. 
 
 28 
 
Scrub stock does not pay ; it requires as much fe^, space and attention 
 as the best grade and the profits are not so great. By means of experi- 
 menting, discover a proper ration for as many different kinds of stock as 
 possible. Make permanent record of results. Enlist parents in these 
 experiments. Write to Agricultural College, Columbia, Mo., for bulle- 
 tin on Stock-feeding. • 
 
 66' Horses and Mttles. — The three general classes of horses are 
 (i) the draft horse, (2) the coach horse and (3) the roadsters. There 
 are many breeds and cross-breeds in each class. Draft horses have 
 short legs, heavy bodies, short thick necks, broad, deep chests and shoul- 
 ders, w^de hocks and large feet. They v^^eigh from 1500 to 2100 pounds. 
 The most familiar breeds of this class are the Percherons, the Clydes- 
 dale and the English Shire. The Percherons came from France ; they 
 were originally gray but now they are generally black or dark brown. 
 The Shires came from England ; the common color is bay or brown, 
 though some are sorrel. They usually have some white in the face and 
 always have long hair on the fetlocks; they are slow but very strong. 
 The Clydesdales came from Scotland. They are similar to the Shires 
 in form and color. They are somewhat smaller and more active than 
 the vShires. Coach horses are most beautiful in form. They have 
 round, well, proportioned bodies, long, arched necks and fine, vvell- 
 shaped heads. They weigh from 1200 to 1600 pounds. Their long 
 legs make them desirable for road work. They are able to draw heavy 
 carriages and coaches. The German Coach, Hackney and French 
 Coach are the most common of this class. Roadsters include saddle 
 horses, trotters, thoroughbreds (running horses) and other horses of 
 light weight. This class of horses has long, thin necks, narrow chests, 
 long backs and long legs ; they have hard, strong muscles and tendons. 
 The running horse was developed in England ; the trotter and saddler 
 in America. A good horse must have good feet. "No foot, no horse" 
 is true. The feet should receive careful attention ; the bottoms should 
 be cleaned every day, the hoofs should be kept free from mud and greas- 
 ed every two weeks. Great care should be taken in shoeing horses. 
 Horsemen are careful to ask if a horse has a good mouth ; by this is 
 meant that he will pull against the bit and at the same time is easy to 
 handle. Unless a horse pulls against the bit, he can not be considered a 
 good saddler or driver. The classes of mules are (i) the farm mule, 
 (2) the miner's mule, (3) the cotton mule, (4) the cane mule and (5) the 
 army mule. Give the characteristics of each. The mule is healthy, easily 
 kept, strong and valuable. Name two large mule markets. What is 
 
year. Make and solve some problems relating to marketing poultry 
 and poultry products. Find out if possible the value of the poultry 
 products of }Our district; of your county. 
 
 7t. Breeds of Chickens. — They may be classed as (i) setters, (2) 
 iion-setters, (3) gt-iieral purpose and (4) game. The setters include the 
 Cochins, the Brahmas and the Langshans, known as the Asiatic breeds. 
 They are large, gentle and mature early. The 'non-setters mclude the 
 Leghorns, Miiiorcas and Spanish, known as the Mediterranean breeds. 
 They are small, good foragers and fine for laying. The general pur- 
 pose chickens include the Plymouth Rocks and Wyandottes, known as 
 the American breeds. They are of medium size, good layers and good 
 mothers. The game chickens include several breeds that are much 
 prized by fanciers but are not valuable in poultry markets. Standard 
 bred chickens have been brought to a high state of development by 
 careful and skillful management. They suffer from neglect and un- 
 healthful surroundings. The common chicken is able to stand neglect 
 better than any well bred variety. It is hardy and able to shift for it- 
 self. Find pictures of as many different kinds as possible and study 
 characteristics of each. What breeds are best.? That depends upon 
 circumstances. Not all breeds do equally well under all circumstances. 
 The amount of ground used for poultry yard, the purpose for which 
 chickens are raised and other conditions must be considered when de- 
 ciding upon the breed. 
 
 72« Care of Chickens. — Chickens should be provided with a house 
 separate from other buildings. Drain water away from it. The house 
 need not be expensive. If it is covered with a shed roof, it should slope 
 to the north in order to give as much sunlight as possible on the south 
 side. There should be windows in the south side to admit plenty of 
 sunlight durmg the winter. There should be two apartments, one for 
 nests and the other for roosting. Fill with sand, cinders or clay until 
 the floor is a few inches higher than the ground around it. The house 
 should be kept clean, dry, thoroughly ventilated, sprinkled often with 
 lime or crude carbolic acid and whitewashed once a year. Chick- 
 ens need plenty of fresh air, but should be well protected from cold in 
 winter ; hens will not lay during cold weather unless they have warm, 
 comfortable quarters and the proper kind of food. Chickens need a 
 variety of food ; corn, chop, wheat, oats, sunflower seed ani green 
 vegetation are suitable. Crushed bones and oyster shells, gravel and 
 pieces of broken pottery should be kept in their yard ; lime should be 
 given to laying hens. Experiment with different kinds of foods and 
 
discover the best food for them at different times of the year. Prob- 
 ably fifty percent of young chicks die before they are eight weeks old. 
 This is probably due to over-feeding, withholding water at proper 
 time and lack of sufficient and proper grit. Young chicks should not 
 be fed for forty-eight hours after hatching. Feed a little at a time, but 
 feed often. Keep plenty of good water where they can get it easily. 
 A thirsty chick drinks too rapidly and too much. Coarse sand is good 
 grit for young chicks. Young chicks must be protected against their 
 enemies and from rain. It pays to have dry coops for them. Write 
 an essay on "Caring for Young Chicks." 
 
 73. Moulting and Diseases.— (a) Chickens are not so profiitable 
 during the moulting period which begins about the first of September 
 and continues for three or four months. Poultry raisers overcome this 
 in a measure by artificial methods. Chickens are penned up for two 
 weeks, during the first of July and are fed little, if anything, but are 
 given plenty of water. This reduces the flesh. They are then let out 
 and fed well. The fasting causes them to begin moulting and the good 
 feeding which follows starts a new growth of feathers. By this pro- 
 cess, moulting is finished in a few weeks and chickens begin laying ear- 
 ly in the fall and continue during cold weather when eggs are most 
 valuable. Try this experiment and write the results. Painstaking 
 pays with chickens as well as in every other farming business, (b) 
 Some of the most prevalent chicken diseases are roup, cholera, heavy 
 breathing and rattling. The causes of roup are damp, poorly ventilated 
 houses, bad food and filthy water. The best preventive of roup is the 
 removal of the causes. There is no certain remedy for roup or cholera. 
 A chicken that has either should be killed at once and the carcass burned 
 or buried deep. For rattles and heavy breathing, mix a table spoon 
 full of kerosene in a gallon of water for them to drink. Twelve drops 
 of aconite to a quart of water is also a good rernedy and chickens will 
 drink it more readily. 
 
 33 
 
REFERENCE BOOKS. 
 
 Note — The following list contains only a very few of the many 
 valuahle reference hooks on agriculture. These hooks may he ohtained 
 through any hook dealer or may be had by writing directly to the pub- 
 lisher. 
 
 NAME OP^ BOOK. 
 
 AUTHOR. 
 
 PUBLISHER. 
 
 First Principles of Agriculture, Vorhees, Silver, Burdett & Co. 
 
 Practical Agriculture, James, Appleton. 
 
 Agriculture for Beginners, Burkett, Stevens & Hill, Ginn & Co. 
 
 Elements of agriculture. McBryde. Johnson Publishing Co. 
 
 Richmond, Va. 
 Agriculture for Common Schools. Hunnicutt. The Cultivator Publish- 
 ing Co., Atlanta, Ga. 
 New Elementary Agriculture. Bessey, Bruner University Publishing 
 
 & Swezey. Co., Lincoln, Neb. 
 
 King. McMillan & Co. 
 
 Craig. J. A. Craig, 
 
 College Station, Tex. 
 Feeds And Feeding. Henry. W. A. Henry, Madison, 
 
 Wis. 
 First Principles of Agriculture. Goff & Mayne. American Book Co. 
 
 The Soil. 
 
 fudging Live Stock. 
 
 FARMERS' BULLETINS 
 (U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C) 
 
 Note — This is a popular series of bulletins printed for free distri- 
 bution and in the following list only a few of the more important num- 
 bers are given. A complete list of all the Farmers' Bulletins will be 
 Found on the last page of each of the bulletins. The bulletins are print- 
 ed for free distribution and may be had by making application to any 
 United States senator or representative in Congress, or to the Secretary 
 3f Agriculture, Washington, D. C. In writing for these bulletins be 
 iure and ask for Farmers' Bui.i.etins, as there are several series of 
 bulletins of the Department of Agriculture. 
 
 34 
 
1 6, Leguminous Plants; 21, Barnyard Manure; 24, Hog Cholera and Swine 
 Plague; 28, Weeds: And How to Kill Them; 31, Alfalfa or Lucern; 32, Silos and 
 Silage; 33, Peach Growing for Market; 34, Meats: Composition and Gooking; 35, 
 Potato Culture; 36, Cotton Seeds and its Products; 37, Kafir Corn: Culture and 
 Uses; 39, Onion Culture; 44, Commercial Fertilizers; 48, The Manuring of Cotton; 
 49, Sheep Feedmg; 50, Sorghum as a Forage Crop; 51, Standard Varieties of 
 Chickens; 52, The Sugar Beet; 53, How to Grow Mushrooms; 54, Some Common 
 Birds; 55, The Dairy Herd; 57, Butter Making on the Farm; 58, The Soy Bean as a 
 Forage Crop; 61, Asparagus Culture; 63, Care of Milk on the Farm; 64, Ducks and 
 Geese; 66, Meadows and Pastures; 70, Insect Enemies of the Grape; 74. Milk as 
 Food; 75, The Grain Smuts; 76, Tom?.to Growing; 80. The Peach Twig-borer; 86, 
 Thirty Poisonous Plants; 89, Cowpeas; 91, Potato Diseases and Treatment; 93, 
 Sugar as Food; 95, Go jd Roads for Farmers; 96; Raising Sheep for Mutton; 99, 
 Insect Enemies of Shade Trees; 106, Breeds of Dairy Cattle; 109, Farmers' Reading 
 Courses; 11 r, Farmers' Interest in Good Seeds; 112, Bread and Bread Making; 1 13, 
 The Apple and How to Grow It: 121, Beans, Peas and Other Legumes as Food; 
 123, Red Clover Seed: Information for Purchasers; 126, Practical Suggestions for 
 Farm Buildings; 128, Eggs and Their Uses as Food; 132, Insect Enemies of Grow- 
 ing Wheat; 134, Tree Planting in Rural School Grounds; 136, Earth Roads; 141, 
 Poultry Raising on the Farm; 154, The Fruit Garden: Preparation and Care; 155, 
 How Insects Affect Health in Rural Districts; 157, The Propagation of Plants; 161, 
 Practical Suggestions for Fruit Growers; 164, Rape as a Forage Crop; 166, Cheese 
 Making on the Farm; 170, Principles of Horse Feeding; 171, The Control of the 
 Codling Moth; 173, Primer of Forestry; 175 Home Manufacture and Use of Unfer- 
 mented Grape Juice; 177, Squab Raising; 182, Poultry as Food; 183, Meat on the 
 Farm— Butchering", Curing, etc. ; 184, Marketing Live Stock; 188, Weeds Used in 
 Medicine. 
 
 MISSOURI STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE 
 
 Note — A Monthly Bulletin is issued from the office of Secretary 
 of the State Board of Agriculture and may be had free by addressing 
 the Secretary, Columbia, Missouri. The Annual Report of the Board 
 of Agriculture, containing the proceedings of the Board, a report on 
 farmers' institute work, the State veterinary work and a number of val- 
 uable papers on different subjects relating to agriculture, stock breed- 
 ing, feeding, fruit growing, etc., may be had free by making application 
 to the Secretary, Columbia, Missouri. 
 
 The following list contains a few of the many bulletins that will be 
 interesting in school work : 
 
 Road Dragging. 
 
 State Dairy Association. 
 
 Improved Live Stock Breeders' Association. 
 
 Corn Growrs' Association. 
 
 35 
 
Peach Growint^" in Alissouri. 
 
 Strawberry Growing, 
 
 Grape Growing for Home Use. 
 
 Alfalfa Growing. 
 
 The Egg Producing Hen. 
 
 AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 
 
 Note — The Bulletins of the Agricultural College are not issued at 
 any stated time, bul: are usually published at the close of an experiment 
 in a given line of work and may be had b}^ addressing the Dean of the 
 Agricultural College, Columbia, Missouri. 
 
 Only a few of the important numbers are given below : 
 Apple Growing in Missouri. 
 Pruning the Peach. 
 Spray Calendar. 
 The Dairy Cow. 
 
 Principles of Plant Production — ^The Seed. 
 Plant Propagation. 
 The Chinch Bug. 
 Insect Enemies of Wheat. 
 
 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
 
 Note — The Annual Report of the State Horticultural Society 
 which contains a great many valuable papers on practical horticulture 
 may be had by addressing Secretary L. A. Goodman, 4000 Warwick 
 Boulevard, Knasas City, Missouri. 
 
 36 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
 002 773 354 2 
 
 L