20 BULLETIN 258, U. S. DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 



JANUARY. 



LESSON ONE. 



SUBJECT : IMPROVING SOIL. TOPIC : MANURE MANAGEMENT. 



Applying manure to the soil. — Methods: Placing in heaps about 

 the field, broadcasting, applying in hill or drill with seed. 



Storing manure. — Providing shed, packing, applying moisture. 



Class assignment. — Duggar's, pp. 93-96. Supplement the lesson 

 with notes from Farmers' Bui. 192. 



Practical exercises. — (1) Require the members of the class to 

 report the methods employed at their homes in the management of 

 manure. (2) Club members should begin spreading manure on their 

 plats. 



Correlations. — Arithmetic : Keep a record of the amount and value 

 of manure applied to the soil of garden or field projects. 



LESSON TWO. 



SUBJECT : CROPS. TOPIC : TESTING SEED CORN. 



The vitality of the seed determines the regularity of the stand and 

 the vigor of the plants, hence the importance of good seed. The 

 vitality of seed may be determined by the appearance of the kernel 

 and by the germinating test. 



Class assignment. — Duggar's, pp. 130-132. Supplement the lesson 

 with notes from Farmers' Buls. 253, 415, 428, 537, and 617. 



Practical exercises. — (1) Make and equip a germinating box as 

 described in Farmers' Bui. 253, p. 8. Conduct a germinating test at 

 school, using selected seed corn. (2) Each club member should test 

 his seed corn this month. 



Correlations. — Language and drawing : Describe and draw to scale 

 the germinating box. Arithmetic : Develop problems based on -the 

 results of the germinating test showing the possible loss in yield 

 sustained by those who do not test seed. See United States Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture Bui. 132. 



LESSON THREE. 



SUBJECT: HOME GARDEN. TOPICS: (l) MAKING THE HOTBED; (2) PREPARING THE 



GARDEN. 



The hotbed. — Selecting site, preparing manure, making frame and 

 excavation, making hotbed, sowing seed. 



Preparing the garden. — Spreading compost, breaking soil and pre- 

 paring seed bed, compounding fertilizers. 



Class assignment. — Duggar's, pp. 185-191. Supplement with notes 

 from Farmers' Bui. 255 and Alabama Experiment Station Circ. 14, 

 Parts I and II. 



