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

PART I

General Principles Underlying Plant Culture

THE FIRST BOOK OF FARMING

PART I

General Principles Underlying Plant Culture

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION TO PLANTS

Our object in reading and studying this book is to find out some facts that will help those of us who are thinking of going into farming and gardening as a business or recreation to start right, and will also help those of us that are already in the business to make our farms and gardens more productive.

In order to make the book of greatest value to you, I would urge you not only to read and study it, but also to make the excursions suggested and to perform the experiments.  In other words, it will be of much greater value to you if you will make the observations and investigations and find out for yourselves the important facts and principles rather than simply take statements of the book unquestioned.