ture. The Indians, who were not bad farmers for their day, 

 taught the colonists many lessons. From them the early set- 

 tlers learned how to grow the two chief crops of colonial days, 

 corn and tobacco. The Indians practiced seed selection; they 

 fertilized their fields with fish; they recognized the value of 

 birds to agriculture ; they made use of irrigation in the West ; 

 they cured tobacco, preserved meats, fruits, vegetables. 

 Though their methods of farming were crude and their tools 

 few, it is said that they raised not less than one million bush- 

 els of corn per year. 



Many of the farm crops and animals had to be introduced 

 into this country from Europe. Wheat was first grown by 

 Gosnold; potatoes were brought to Europe from Chile and 

 thence to the North American colonies. Horses, hogs, and 

 cattle were brought here by Columbus. 



Custom, tradition, and ignorance controlled agriculture 

 in the early days. Rotation of crops was unknown, and ma- 

 nures but little used. The people were facing problems with 

 which they were unfamiliar. They were ignorant of the soil, 

 the climate, and of the crops suited to the new land. 



Period * of Westward Expansion. After the Revolution 

 the settlers pushed rapidly into the Western country, attract- 

 ed by the rich farming land. The fact that there was rich land 

 to be had in the West has tended to make the American a poor 

 farmer, for there was little need of preserving the fertility of 

 the soil. Again, the shifting of the people westward tended 

 to hinder the development of settled community life and com- 

 munity institutions, such as the school and the church. Last 

 but not least, the frontier encouraged a spirit of independence, 

 a feeling of every one for himself and no interference. Long 

 after the frontier passed away the spirit of independence in 

 thought and action remained, making cooperation among far- 

 mers difficult and hindering the development of local institu- 

 tions which depend for their support upon united action. 



Period of Inventions. The period beginning about the 

 year 1830 marks a decided change in our agricultural develop- 



