vi THE ESSENTIALS OF AGRICULTURE 



comparatively new and world-wide interest in agriculture means. 

 The arrangement of subject matter in this, text is based upon 

 the results of the best experience in teaching agriculture in 

 secondary schools, and upon the courses of study adopted by 

 various state departments of education. For schools presenting 

 less than a year's course it is suggested that Chapters I-XVIII 

 be studied first ; then from the remaining chapters those should 

 be selected which are most fundamental to the farm practices of 

 the community. 



Agriculture is too complex for all of its details to be mastered 

 by one person. The expert in crops or soils does not possess 

 more than a general knowledge of live stock, fruit growing, and 

 dairying. In the subject of crops there are those who have 

 specialized in grains, forage crops, or grasses. In animal hus- 

 bandry there are specialists in beef cattle or dairy cattle, spe- 

 cialists in draft horses or light horses, and specialists in sheep 

 or swine. If a man attempted to speak out of his own knowl- 

 edge on all the phases of agriculture covered by a school text, 

 the treatment of many of the subjects would be inaccurate and 

 misleading, or else so general as to be of little value. To insure 

 a work that is accurate in all its details the author has chosen 

 for each branch of the subject an expert who is responsible in 

 large part for the material in the field of his specialty. The 

 author has organized this material into a logical, teachable work 

 on agricultural science and practice. 



To the help of the following specialists is due in large meas- 

 ure whatever merit the book possesses : M. F. Miller, Professor 

 of Agronomy, University of Missouri (Soils) ; H. F. Roberts, 

 Professor of Botany and Plant Breeding, Kansas State Agricul- 

 tural College (Plant Breeding and Plant Feeding) ; H. D. Hughes, 

 Professor of Agronomy, Iowa State College (Corn, Oats, Alfalfa, 

 and Clover) ; Cecil Salmon, Assistant Professor of Farm Crops, 

 Kansas State Agricultural College (Wheat) ; Carleton R. Ball, 

 Crop Specialist, United States Department of Agriculture (Sor- 

 ghums) ; W. R. Dodson, Director Louisiana Experiment Station 

 (Cotton); Dr. J. C. Whitten, Professor of Horticulture, University 



