PROGRESS IN AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. 343 



Agricultural operations are eonduoted for two immediate purposes — to raise 

 l)hnits, and to raise animals. Plants are raised either for their own value or 

 for tli«'ir uso in the fcediii;: of animals. Tn studying;; ai^riculturc, tlu'rcforc, it 

 is well to hegin with the i)lanl, lluMi itrocei-d to the animal, and then consider 

 questions of practice aud mauayemeut that grow out of these suhjects. 



Part L — The Plant and Crops. 



The study of the plant uiaj' be provided for under the general heads : (1) The 

 plant itself; (2) the environment that intluences or modifies the plant. 



SECTION 1. — THE PLANT ITSELF. 



Under section 1 the plant may be studied in relation to («) composition; 

 (h) structure; (c) physiology; and (d) heredity and plant breeding. On the 

 assuiui)tion that the student has covered categories «, b, and fin his woric in 

 botany, thesi> subjects are omitted here; therefore only part d, together with a 

 classification of agricultural plants, is outlined here. 



A. — Classification of economic plants. 



(1) Cereals. 



(2) Grasses. 



(3) Legumes. 



(4) Vegetables. 



(5) Fruits. 

 (G) Tubers. 



(7) Roots. 



(8) Sugar plants. 



(9) Oil plants. 



(10) Fiber plants. 



(11) Stimulants. 



(12) Medicinal and aromatic plants, 

 (lo) Timber crops (forestry). 



(14) Flowers and ornamental plants 

 B. — Heredity and plant-breeding. 



(1) Principles. 



(2) Processes. 



(3) Steps in improvement of plants. 



(a) Variation — environment, crossing. 



(6) Selection. 



(c) Testing hereditary power. 



(4) Illustrations of improvement in plants. 



(5) Methods of improvement. 



SECTION 2. — ENVIRONMENT OF THE PLANT. 



The subject of onviroinnent may l>e studied under tiie following heads: (a) 

 light and heat; {h) air; (r) soil; (d) moisture; (c) api)lied plant food; :ind 

 (f) reprt>ssive and noxious agencies. 

 C. — Light and heat. 



(1) Keliitive interdependence. 



(2) Effect. 



(3) Influence of character of light. 



(4) Influence of seasons. 



(5) Temperature fi»r germinal ion and growth. 



