366 ELEMENTARY STUDIES IN BOTANY 



crop and soil-renovator in the south, and it is grown to some 

 extent in the north (Fig. 44). It is a bean, rather than a 

 pea, closely related to the ordinary garden bean, and the 

 beans are often used for food. In the south the plant grows 

 as a vine, but it becomes bushy in the north. 



73. Suggestions for work. It is evident that the growth 

 of cereal and forage crops cannot be made a part of the work 

 of the student. Much of this chapter, therefore, must be used 

 as information concerning these very important crops. 

 However, two things should be done, which will form an intro- 

 duction to crop-raising. The first thing is to learn to recog- 

 nize the cereals and forage plants mentioned in this chapter. 

 It is easy to secure samples of the plants and to learn their 

 distinguishing features. The second thing is to germinate 

 and test some of the seeds, so that this very important pre- 

 liminary performance may be learned through experience. 

 Information about a process can never take the place of 

 experience. Information merely suggests how the process 

 may be undertaken, but experience encounters all of the 

 details that are necessary to secure the result. 



