PREFACE VU 



are necessarily to be followed in the order given. On the 

 other hand, any combination of chapters which is best fitted 

 to the season may be adopted. For instance, when school 

 opens in the fall, flowers and seeds can be easily obtained. 

 Chapter XII will make an excellent starting point at this 

 time. Then may follow Chapters XIII and VII, after 

 which one may turn back to the beginning of the book and 

 proceed in regular order, reviewing or omitting the chapters 

 already studied. Exercise 36, however, should be started 

 in the late fall, regardless of the order that is followed in 

 the book. 



Teaching agriculture is a delightful task, provided we do 

 not attempt to tell " how to farm." All we should attempt 

 to do is to stimulate and direct the pupil in his desire to 

 find out the fundamental principles of good farming. 



It is our privilege to unify or to " make one " the school 

 work and the common experiences and practices of the farm 

 to the end that life in the open country may be richer and 

 fuller for all of us who dwell there. 



In the preparation of this work, the senior author has 

 been ably assisted by W. H. Lancelot, a man of wide expe- 

 rience both in educational and in editorial work. 



Recognition is also due to Mr. Willard Zeller, a highly 

 successful corn grower and breeder of Cooper, Iowa, who 

 reviewed the chapter on corn. 



H. L. Eichling, Associate Professor of Agronomy, and 

 teacher of agriculture for rural and grade teachers in the 

 summer school of Iowa State College, has carefully reviewed 

 the chapters on soils and farm crops and has offered very 

 many helpful suggestions. 



I desire to express my appreciation of this valuable 

 assistance. 



J. C. CUNNINGHAM. 

 Ames, Iowa, 



June 1, 1915. 



