THE EDIBLE WILD ROOTS OP THE FARM 63 



So, if we go out to examine the plants producing nature's 

 root crops we wUl find them a mixed lot of solanums, legumes, 

 aroids, etc., growing in all kinds of situations, wet and dry, in 

 sun and in shade, and producing food reserves that have little 

 in common either in character or in content. 



Study 7. Wild Root Crops of the Farm 



This study will consist in an examination 

 of the edible and poisonous roots found 

 growing wild on the farm. Such exotics pig. 36. The root 



1 . . .,- , - ^ and the under- 



as parsmp, carrot and chicory, will be found ground -nuts" of 

 growing as weeds in the field. The native ^ °^ ^^^"" ' 

 root crops will have to be sought in the woods and 

 thickets and in swampy places. 



The equipment needed will be a knife, a bag and a stout 

 digging tool of some sort. 



The program of work will consist of a trip to selected places 

 where the wild roots may be found in abtmdance, the examina- 

 tion of them one by one as to all their parts, measuring of the 

 roots, slicing of them, tasting of them, testing of them, etc., 

 and recording their characters. 



The record will consist of: 



1. A table prepared with headings as indicated on pages 

 64 and 65 and carefully filled out for about a dozen species. 



2 . Simple sectional diagrams representing the structure of 

 (1) some wild tuber; (2) a scaly bulb; (3) a solid bulb or 

 corm; (4) a fleshy rhizome and (5) a true fleshy root. 



