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The First Book of Farming

Chapter 4: PREFACE
By C. L. Goodrich
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About This Book

The book presents fundamental principles of practical agriculture, beginning with plant biology—root structure, seeds, leaves, stems, and flowers—and their relationship to soil properties such as texture, water, temperature, and ventilation. It explains soil formation and classification, sources and forms of soil water, and factors affecting soil fertility. The second part considers farm practice: tillage, planting depth, cultivation, manures and green-crop husbandry, commercial fertilizers and mixing, crop rotation, and after-cultivation techniques, with simple experiments and observational exercises intended to guide farmers, students, and teachers toward practices that conserve moisture, maintain fertility, and promote healthy plant growth.

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Title: The First Book of Farming

Author: C. L. Goodrich

Release date: October 18, 2005 [eBook #16900]
Most recently updated: December 12, 2020

Language: English

Credits: Produced by Audrey Longhurst, Jeannie Howse and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FIRST BOOK OF FARMING ***




The First Book of Farming


THE FARM EQUIPMENT—PLANTS, SOILS, ANIMALS, TOOLS, BUILDINGS.ToList




The
First Book of Farming


By


CHARLES L. GOODRICH


Farmer

Expert in the Bureau of Plant Industry,
United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.


Illustrated






GARDEN CITY NEW YORK
DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY
1923




Copyright 1905, by
DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY
Published March, 1905



PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES
AT
THE COUNTRY LIFE PRESS, GARDEN CITY, N.Y.





PREFACE


The most successful farmers of the present day are those who work in harmony with the forces and laws of nature which control the growth and development of plants and animals. These men have gained their knowledge of those laws and forces by careful observation, experiment and study.

This book is a result of the author's search for these facts and truths as a student and farmer and his endeavor as a teacher to present them in a simple manner to others.

The object in presenting the book to the general public is the hope that it may be of assistance to farmers, students and teachers, in their search for the fundamental truths and principles of farming.

In the first part of the book an attempt has been made to select the most important and fundamental truths and principles underlying all agriculture and to present them in the order of their importance, beginning with the most important.

An endeavor has been made to present these truths to the reader and student in a simple and interesting manner. As far as possible each advance step is based on a previously stated fact or truth. A number of side truths are introduced at various places.

A number of simple experiments have been introduced into the text in the belief that they will make the work more interesting to the general reader, and will aid the student in learning to make simple investigations for himself.

The author recommends all who use the book to perform the experiments and to make the observations, and so come actively in touch with the work.

The observations begin on the farm. The author considers the plant the central and all-important factor or agent on the farm.

The root is regarded as the most important part of the plant to itself, and consequently to the plant grower.

The general truths or principles which state the conditions necessary for the growth and development of plant roots are regarded as the foundation truths or fundamental principles of all agriculture. These truths are as follows:

The roots of farm plants need for their best growth and development:

  • A firm, mellow soil.
  • A moist soil.
  • A ventilated soil.
  • A warm soil.
  • A soil supplied with plant food.

The first two chapters lead the reader quickly through logical reasoning to these fundamental truths, on which the remainder of the work is based.

A study of soils is made in connection with the root studies, as the two are so closely related.

After the study of roots and soils the other parts of the plant are considered in the order of their importance to the farmer or plant grower. The aim is always to get at fundamental facts and principles underlying all agricultural and horticultural practice.

The author regards the conditions necessary to root growth and development as the important factor constituting soil fertility, and in the last ten chapters takes up the discussion of certain farm operations and practices and their effects on these necessary conditions, and consequently their effect on the fertility of the soil.

The author extends gratitude to all who have in any way assisted in the preparation of this book, whether through advice, preparation of the text, preparation of the illustrations, or any other way in which he has received assistance.

C.L. GOODRICH.

Glenndale,
Prince George Co., Maryland,
January 21, 1905.





CONTENTS

PART I

General Principles Underlying Plant Culture

Chapter   Page
I. Introduction to Plants 3
II. Roots 9
      Uses of roots to plants 9
      Habit of growth of roots 11
      Conditions necessary for root growth 20
III. Soils 23
      Relation of soil to plants 23
      Classification of soils 26
      How were soils made? 30
      Soil texture 37
IV. Relation of Soils to Water 39
      Importance of water to plants 39
      Sources of soil water 40
      Attitude of soils toward water:  
          Percolation  
          Absorption from below  
          Power to hold water 40
      The effect of working soils when wet 45
V. Forms of Soil Water 48
      Free water 48
      Capillary water 49
      Film water 50
VI. Loss of Soil Water  
          By surface wash  
          By percolation and leaching  
          By evaporation  
          By transpiration  
          How to check these losses 53
VII. Soil Temperature 57
      How soils are warmed 58
      How soils lose heat  
      How to check loss of heat 59
      Conditions which influence soil temperature 60
      Value of organic matter 61
VIII. Plant Food in the Soil 63
IX. Seeds 70
      Conditions necessary for sprouting 70
      Seed testing 75
      How the seeds come up 77
      Use of cotyledons and endosperm 79
X. Seed Planting 81
      Depth of planting:  
          Operation of planting  
          Planting machines 81
      Seed classification 85
      Transplanting 87
XI. Spading and Plowing 90
      Spading the soil 90
      Plowing 91
      Why we spade and plow 91
      Parts of a plow 92
      Characteristics of a good plow 95
      The furrow slice 96
      How deep to plow 96
      "Breaking out the middles" 97
      Ridging the land 98
      Time to plow 98
      Bare fallow 100
XII. Harrowing and Rolling 101
      Harrowing:  
          Why we harrow  
          Time to harrow 101
      Types of harrows 102
      Rolling 106
XIII. Leaves 108
      Facts about leaves 108
      The uses of leaves to plants:  
          Transpiration  
          Starch making  
          Digestion of food  
      Conditions necessary for leaf work 109
      How the work of leaves is interfered with 115
XIV. Stems 120
      What are stems for? 120
      How the work of the stem may be interfered with 126
XV. Flowers 128
      Function of flowers 128
      Parts of flowers 129
      Functions of the parts:  
          Cross pollination 130
      Value of a knowledge of the flowers 134
      Fruit 136

PART II

Soil Fertility As Affected By Farm Operations And Farm Practices

Chapter   Page
XVI. A Fertile Soil 141
      Physical properties:  
          Power to absorb and hold water  
          Power of ventilation  
          Power to absorb and hold heat 142
      Biological properties 143
          Nitrogen-fixing germs 144
          Nitrifying germs 145
          Denitrifying germs 147
      Chemical properties:  
          Nitrogen in the soil  
          Phosphoric acid in the soil  
          Potash in the soil  
          Lime in the soil  
          Great importance of physical properties 147
      Maintenance of fertility 150
XVII. Soil Water 151
      Importance of soil water 151
      Necessity of soil water 151
      Sources and forms of soil water 153
      Too much water 154
      Not enough water 154
      Loss of soil water 155
      How some farm operations influence soil water 156
      Hoeing, raking, harrowing and cultivating 158
      Manures and soil water 159
          Methods of cropping and soil water 159
          Selection of crops with reference to soil water 160
XVIII. The After-cultivation of Crops 164
      Loss of water by evaporation 164
      Loss of water through weeds 165
      Saving the water 165
      Time to cultivate 166
      Tools for after-cultivation 167
      Hilling and ridging 169
XIX. Farm Manures 171
      The functions of manures and fertilizers 171
      Classification 171
      Importance of farm manures 172
      Barn or stable manure 173
      Loss of value 173
      Checking the losses 176
      Applying the manure to the soil 177
      Proper condition of manure when applied 179
      Composts 181
XX. Farm Manures, Concluded 183
      Green-crop manures:  
          Functions 183
          Benefits 185
      Character of best plants for green-crop manuring 185
      The time for green-manure crops 186
      Leguminous green-manure crops 186
      Non-leguminous green-manure plants 191
XXI. Commercial Fertilizers 192
      The raw materials 192
      Sources of nitrogen 193
      Sources of phosphoric acid 195
      Sources of potash 199
      Sources of lime 200
XXII. Commercial Fertilizers, Continued 202
      Mixed fertilizers:  
          What they are  
          Many brands  
          Safeguard for the farmer  
          Low grade materials  
          Inflating the guarantee 202
      Valuation 205
      Low grade mixtures 207
      Buy on the plant food basis 209
XXIII. Commercial Fertilizers, Concluded 211
      Home mixing of fertilizers 211
          Kind and amount to buy 212
          The crop 213
          The soil 215
          The system of farming 215
      Testing the soil 215
XXIV. Rotation of Crops 219
      Systems of cropping 219
          The one crop system 221
          Rotation of crops 224
      Benefits derived from rotation of crops 230
      The typical rotation 231
      Conditions which modify the rotation 232
      General rules 233
      Length of rotation 233
XXV. Farm Drainage 235
      How surplus water affects fertility 235
      Indications of a need of drainage 235
      Drains:  
          Surface drains  
          Open ditch drains  
          Covered drains or under drains 236
      Influence of covered drains on fertility 237
      Location of drains:  
          Grade  
          Tile drains 238
  Glossary 241





LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

  The farm equipment--plants, soils, animals, tools, buildings Frontispiece
  Figure Facing Page
1. Specimen plants for study 6
2. The first effort of a sprouting seed 7
3. Germinating seeds with roots 7
4. To show that plant roots take water from the soil 10
5. To show that plant roots take food from the soil 10
6. A radish root, from which the stored food has been used to help produce a crop of seeds 11
7. A sweet-potato root producing new plants 11
8. Sweet-potato roots 14
9. Soy-bean roots 15
10. A plow stopped in the furrow, to show what it does to the roots of plants when used for after-cultivation 18
11. A corn-plant ten days after planting the seed 19
12. To show where growth in length of the root takes place 22
13. Radish seeds sprouted on dark cloth 22
14. To show how water gets into the roots of plants 23
15. To show osmose 23
16. To show that roots need air 26
17. Comparison of fresh and boiled water 26
18. Comparison of moist sand and puddled clay 27
19. Comparing soils 32
20. Water-test of soils 33
21. To show what becomes of the water taken from the soil by roots 40
22. Percolation experiment. To show the relative powers of soils to take in water falling on the surface 41
23. Bottles used in place of the lamp chimneys in Figs. 22 and 24 44
24. Capillarity of soils. To show the relative powers of soils to take water from below 44
25. Water-absorbing and water-holding powers of soils 45
26. Capillary tubes. To show how water rises in small tubes or is drawn into small spaces 48
27. Capillary plates 48
28. A cone of soil to show capillarity 49
29. To show the relative amounts of film-moisture held by coarse and fine soils 49
30. To show the effect of a soil mulch 56
31. Soil temperature experiment 57
32. Charts showing average temperature of a set of dry and wet soils during a period of five days 60
33. To show the value of organic matter 61
34. Soy-bean roots, showing nodules or tubercles 64
35. Garden-pea roots, showing tubercles or nodules 65
36. To show that seeds need water for germination 72
37. To show that seeds need air for germination 72
38. To show that seeds need air for germination 73
39. A seed-tester: two plates and a moist cloth 80
40. A seed-tester: a plaster cast with cavities in the surface for small seeds 80
41. Germinating corn-kernel and bean 81
42. To show how the bean-plant gets up 82
43. To show how the corn-plant gets out of the soil 82
44. To show the use of cotyledons 83
45. To show the use of the kernel to the young corn-plant 86
46. To show how deeply seeds should be planted 87
47. Operations of seed-planting 88
48. A collection of planting machines 89
49. Spading-fork and spade 92
50. A wood beam-plow 93
51. A slip-nose share and a slip-nose 96
52. A straight knife coulter 96
53. An iron beam-plow with rolling coulter and double clevis 96
54. A rolling cutter-harrow 97
55. Spring-toothed harrows 97
56. Spike-toothed harrows 104
57. A coulter-toothed harrow 104
58. A plank harrow 105
59. To show transpiration 108
60. Amount of transpiration 109
61. To show that growing leaves contain starch 114
62. To show that starch disappears from the leaf when the plant is placed in the dark 114
63. To show that sunlight is necessary for starch-making by leaves 115
64. To show that chlorophyl is necessary for starch formation in the leaf 115
65. To show the giving off of gas by leaves, and that sunlight is necessary for it 118
66. Seedling radishes reaching for light 119
67. Elm leaves injured by the "imported elm-tree leaf-beetle," a chewing insect 119
68. A horse-chestnut stem, showing leaves, buds, and scars, where last year's leaves dropped off 128
69. An underground stem. Buds show distinctly 129
70. Flower of cherry 130
71. Flower of apple 130
72. Pistil and stamen of flowering raspberry 131
73. Flower of buttercup 131
74. A magnolia flower showing central column of pistils and stamens 134
75. Flowers of squash 135
76. Flower of a lily 136
77. Bud and flower of jewel-weed or "touch-me-not" 137
78. Pistillate flower and perfect flower of strawberry 137
79. A crop of cowpeas 178
80. Red clover 179
81. Soy-beans in young orchard 182
82. A young alfalfa plant just coming into flower 183
83. Cross-sections of stone-drains 238
84. Cross-section of a pole-drain and of a tile-drain 238
85. A collection of drainage tools 239
86. A poorly laid tile-drain and a properly graded tile-drain 239