Vl PREFACE 



TO INSTRUCTORS IN AGRONOMY : 



The author recognizes the varying interest of the several 

 States in crop production as well as the differences of curriculum 

 and of facilities for instruction at the different agricultural 

 colleges. He has tried to meet this rather wide requirement 

 by a fairly full treatment of all the cereals, which will enable the 

 Instructor to omit certain crops or certain portions of a particu- 

 lar crop. At the same time the collateral readings and copious 

 page references to the original sources of information make it 

 possible to enter into a more thorough study of any single crop 

 or any special phase of that crop. The discussion of certain 

 topics ordinarily not taught in the department of Agronomy has 

 been put in smaller type for the benefit of the general reader. 

 Cross reference is made to paragraphs in order to facilitate com- 

 parative study. 



The method of treatment is in accordance with the recom- 

 mendations of the Committee on Methods of Teaching Agricul- 

 ture of the Association of American Agricultural Colleges and 

 Experiment Stations. 



In all courses of study involving the study of material objects 

 it is important to recognize that the student should not only 

 study about the thing, but he should study the thing itself. In 

 Agronomy the importance of studying the crop in all its en- 

 vironments cannot be too strongly insisted upon. The ideal 

 condition involves a study of the plant in the field. Unfortu- 

 nately this is not always possible, since no systematic course of 

 instruction can be pjanned that will conform with the season of 

 crop growth and meet the exigencies of the weather. Practi- 

 cums should be supplied that will as far as possible remedy this 



