6 PREFACE 



The object in preparing this little book has been to present 

 in simple language some of the more important principles of 

 agriculture, with the hope that as herein set forth they may 

 serve to stimulate in the pupil a desire for further informa- 

 tion on the subject. Details have been as far as possible 

 avoided, for to attempt to load the pupil's mind with a mass 

 of details would be to defeat at the start the primary object 

 of the book. It must be borne in mind that within the limits 

 of an ordinary volume it is impossible to present more than a 

 very brief outline of the first principles of agriculture. Many 

 topics must be omitted entirely and others touched upon very 

 briefly. . It is hoped, however, that these first principles may 

 provide the student with a ground-work upon which to build a 

 more perfect knowledge of agriculture. 



Teachers should, whenever possible, supplement and illus- 

 trate the text by examples drawn from their own observations 

 and experience, and should encourage pupils to observe and 

 investigate for themselves. 



For revising my manuscript and for many valuable sugges- 

 tions, my thanks are due Dr. J. M. McBryde, of the Virginia 

 Polytechnic Institute; Prof. T. C. Karns, of Tennessee; Mr. 

 J. F. Jackson, of the Southern Planter; Prof. D. O. Nourse, of 

 the Virginia Polytechnic Institute; Mr. David Cloyd, of 

 Dublin, Va.; Prof. C. E. Vawter, of the Miller Manual School; 

 Dr. J. M. McBryde, Jr„ of Hollins Institute, and Dr. F. D, 

 Wilson, of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute. For the illus- 

 trations I am indebted to Dr. Chas. N. McBryde, of the Vir- 

 ginia Polytechnic Institute. 



J. B. McB. 



Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, Ya % 



