2 PRODUCTIVE FARMING 



life. All young people should learn of the opportunities for 

 health, independence, happiness, and wealth afforded by 

 the country. Those living in the country often fail to realize 

 their blessings. They rush in dangerous numbers to the 

 cities, until every legitimate city occupation is overcrowded. 

 Hosts of them are left to seek livehhoods by devices and 

 means that are at least not elevating. 



The comforts and conveniences enjoyed by a few in the 

 cities are very alluring to the young ambitious mind. Why 

 not show that things better than these are in the country — 

 and that many of these same comforts may be enjoyed by 

 rural communities. 



Suggestions to Teachers. — The teaching of agriculture 

 is most easily done by taking up those subjects nearest at 

 hand. Teach the lines of agriculture that will be most valu- 

 able in your community. If in a gardening section the special 

 garden crops will be most interesting; in a dairy section 

 study dairy breeds, the testing of milk, the dairy products; 

 in the corn belt the class will delight in the study of corn 

 improvement, the testing of seed corn, and the judging of 

 corn by score cards. 



There are certain chapters in this book which are funda- 

 mental and cannot be omitted. For example. Chapter I is 

 necessary to the proper understanding of other plant studies. 

 However, there are certain other chapters which may be 

 taken independently at a time of year which suits the sub- 

 ject. The chapter on Forage Crops and perhaps others may 

 well be used as reading lessons and then studied more in 

 detail later. 



How to Begin. — Enter heartily into the new subject 

 without hesitation. Teach the newest things in agriculture. 

 It will be easier for you to teach these than to teach the 

 topics more familiar to the class. This is particularly so 

 if the pupils are from farms. The field is so broad no one 

 can know it all. Teach the facts which you know best and 



