The First Book of Farming

ction t

are thinking of going into farming and gardening as a business or recreation to start right, and wil

gested and to perform the experiments. In other words, it will be of much greater value to you if you will make the observations and in

he fall and winter crops are starting into growth. So suppose we begin our study with a visit to some farm in early S

the flower beds, placed in red half-barrels, set upon short posts. In the flower beds we may find petunias, nasturtiums, geraniums, rose bushes and other flowering plants. Going around the house, we come upon the dairy, with its rack of cans and pans set out for the daily sunning and airing. Nearby is a well with its oaken bucket; at the barn we find

apples. In the field beyond the hired man is plowing with a fine team of horses. In the South we would find a field of cotton and one of sweet potatoes, and perhaps sugar

important which we will notice on our way back. In this field we find a coarse sandy soil, in the next one a soil t

will discover that you have long lists of objects which you have noticed, and these may

are the air, sunlight, heat, moisture, plant food, microscopic organisms called bacteria, etc. These agents are controlled in their relations to one another by certain forces which work according to certain

e groups of agents, beginning with the m

tion "plants." This last is right. The farm animals are dependent on plants for food. We till or work the soil to produce plants. Plants are living, growing things, and certain requirements or conditions a

geranium, marigold, pigweed, thistle, or other farm or garden plants. In each case get the entire plant, with as much root as possible. Do these plants in any way

r food for man and animals; for clothing;

MEN PLANTS FO

G.

uting seed is to send a ro

G.

roots before they send a s

ese farm plants is of greatest

oon die, unless it is able to put out new roots. But the root from which the plant was cut will generally send up new shoots, unless it has nearly completed its life work. When a sl

nting corn or beans in a glass tumbler of soil, or in a box having a glass side, plac

he most important part of the apple plant for the same reason." "The leaves and grain of the corn, the leaves of the cabbage, are the important parts of these plants and should have the best attention of the grower, because they are the parts for which he grows the plants." But you must remember that all of these parts are dependent on the root for life and growth, as was brought out in the answer to the last question

s, of course: To find out what they do for the plant, how they do this work,