28 FARM DEVELOPMENT 



of the earth's surface, and the meaning of the fossil 

 evidences of living things in each layer is considered. 

 It gives the relation of the slowly developed organic life 

 through the geological ages to the plant and animal 

 forms now on the surface of the earth. It has very prac- 

 tical relations to studies of soils, farm management, and 

 to plant and animal production, as well as to mining and 

 many lines of engineering. The study of this subject is 

 peculiarly broadening, in that it gives the mind a view of 

 the development of life under a process of gradual 

 natural evolution. 



Meteorology treats of the phenomena of the atmos- 

 phere, especially those that relate to climate. This 

 very difficult subject is slowly being brought into a form 

 adapted to a school study, and as a practical science it 

 is being developed so as to make weather prediction 

 very useful. 



Botany has grown to be a wonderful science. The 

 many, many thousand species of plants are being 

 classified and named, and the functions of the 

 parts of plants are being worked out. New facts as to 

 the best places and plans for growing and cultivating 

 each useful plant, are being brought to light. Plant 

 breeders are studying the laws of heredity, and so im- 

 proving the crops of the field, garden and forest that 

 yields are increased, and the quality of the products 

 improved. New beauties are added to flowers and foli- 

 age ; new flavors to fruits and vegetables ; and new 

 qualities to fibers and woods. New ways of propagat- 

 ing, cultivating and feeding plants are discovered, and 

 the methods of harvesting, preserving and utilizing plant 

 products in the home and in the factory are becoming so 

 numerous as to be fairly bewildering. 



The study of the life histories of fungi, such as 

 molds, rusts and other minute plants, is doing a great 

 deal to aid farmers in combating fungous diseases of 



