FARMING. 51 



Gymnas'tics (Gr. gumnazo, I exercise). — The art of perform- 

 ing gymnastic exercises. 



FARMING. 



Agricul'tlire (L. oger, a field, and cultura, cultivation). — The 

 art of preparing the soil, sowing and planting seeds, dress- 

 ing plants, and removing crops. 



Arboricul'ture (L. arbor, a tree, cultura, cultivation). — The art 

 of cultivating trees and shrubs, chjefly for timber or orna- 

 mental purposes. 



Horticul'ture {hortus, a garden, and cuUiird). — The art of cul- 

 tivating gardens. 



Pomorogy (L. pormnn, fruit, and Gr. logos, a discourse). — The 

 art or science of raising /i-j((V. 



Ablactation. — A method of ingrafting by approach or inarch- 

 ing, by which the scion of one tree is united to the stock 

 of another without being cut before it is firmly attached 

 and as it were weaned from the parent tree. 



Ablaquea'tion. — A laying bare the roots of trees to expose 

 them to the air and water. 



Arcua'tion. — A method o^ raising trees hy layers; that is, by 

 bending branches to the ground, covering the small shoots 

 with earth three inches deep upon the joints, and making 

 a basin around them to hold water. Upon taking root, 

 they are removed into a nursery. 



Blanching. — A term applied to the process of whitening the 

 stalks or leaves of plants, by earthing them up or tying 

 them together, so as to exclude the light or diminish its 

 intensity. 



Bos'ket. — A compartment formed by branches of trees regularly 

 or irregularly disposed. 



Bud' ding. — A method of propagating plants. A bud with a 

 small portion of bark is neatly cut off and transferred to 

 another tree, a slit being first made in the bark of the 

 latter to receive the bud. It is then bound round with 

 thread until the bud has grown to and become part of the 

 tree. The branch springing from the bud will afford 

 flowers and fruit similar to those of the tree from which it 

 was taken. 



Caprifica'tion. — The process by which the maturation of the fig 

 is accelerated in the Levant. 



