PREFACE 



IN the aggregate the farmer's annual wealth is 

 nearly $9,000,000,000. Last year it was $869,- 

 000,000 above that of 1908, $1,159,000,000 above 

 that of 1907, $1,023,000,000 above that of 1906, 

 $1,469,000,000 above that of 1905, $1,619,000,000 

 above that of 1904, $1,861,000,000 above that of 

 1903 and $3,061,000,000 above the census year of 

 1899. In a decade the value of farm products has 

 doubled. Too frequently national prosperity is 

 gauged by the activities of the cities. Extend Broad- 

 way across the continent and broaden it until the 

 Canadian border is touched and carry the same con- 

 struction to the Gulf and in six months if agriculture 

 be abandoned, as it necessarily would be, the build- 

 ings would be tenantless, the banks would be doing 

 no business and just about all the people either 

 would be dead or starving. Much of our national 

 greatness, therefore, is dependent upon the kind of 

 crops raised and upon their average acre yield. 



This book is concerned with the field crops raised 

 on American farms. It contains the best ideas 

 gathered from various authorities and the experi- 

 ence of many practical men in all lines of crop pro- 

 duction. The illustrations that accompany the text 

 have been selected for their instructional value. All 

 of the drawings have been made by Mr. B. F. 

 Williamson, to whom grateful appreciation is ex- 

 pressed. 



C. W. BURKETT. 



New York, July, 1910. 



