The farmer's encyclopedia

Front matter

POCKET EDfTIOff

Class _

Book ^g

Preface

The idea of this work is to group together the more important facts of farming in a plain and compact guide for reference. The farmer who has not time to study through the larger publications and select what he wants will find here a great deal of information in a small space and yet specific enough for his purpose.

What can be done in the way of securing better crops by proper selection of seed, soil, cultivation, etc.; the results obtainable from proper feeding and caring for farm animals, and many other problems of the farm, garden, or dairy are often unknown to and unsolved by the farmer, only because new methods are not tried. Progress never comes from clinging to old methods, and new crops, new methods of cultivation, new schemes for feeding are sure to increase the knowledge of the experimenter, as well as swell his bank account.

To quote a specific instance: If the information here given on the important subject "Corn," enables the farmer to increase his yield but one bushel per acre he has been repaid a thousand times in cash for the time he spent in gaining his information, and has aded to his store of knowledge facts that will earn him — by each year's increased yield — a handsome sum indeed.

Too, it is fair to assume that of the millions of dollars lost through disease and insect pests, a large part might have been saved by the application of tried methods cf prevention. The timely use of an efficacious remedy may keep an entire herd or flock from extinction, and one successful treatment destroying or warding off insect pests may save an entire crop, the value of which runs into thousands of dollars.

These two aims, the increase due to the right crop being grown in favorable soil under correct methods of cultivation, and, the insurance of a crop through preventative measures, have been kept in mind in that part of the work dealing with field, garden, and orchard crops. In the part treating of live stock, poultry, and other animal life, the same thought has been borne in mind, that right methods of breeding, feeding, and growth on the one hand, and sanitary and protective measures on the other, are what the farmer most needs.

The whole, it is confidently believed, makes a concise treatise to which the experienced farmer, orchardist, or herdsman may satisfactorily refer, as well as being of exact use to the beginner.

PART I— FIELD CROPS AND GRASSES. Alfalfa 7

Alsike Clover 8

Barley 8

Barnyard Grass 10

Buckwheat 10

Cabbage 11

Clover 12

Corn 15

Corn Breeding 24

Corn, Diseases and Enemies of 28

Cotton 30

Crab Grass 34

Cowpea 35

Crimson Clover 36

Flax 36

Foxtail Millets 38

Hops 39

Kaffir Corn 40

Oats 40

Onion 42

Popcorn 44

Potato 45

Rape 48

Red Clover 48

Red Fescue 49

Redtop 49

Rescue Grass 49

Rice 49

Rye 52

Sand Vetch 52

Sorghum 53

Soy Bean 54

Sugar Cane 54

Sugar Beet 55

Sweet Potato 55

Tall Oat-Grass 58

Teosinte 58

Texas Bluegrass 58

Timothy 58

Tobacco 59

PART II.— GARDEN CROPS. Artichoke 71

Asparagus 71

Beans 71

Beets 72

Broccoli 73

Brussels Sprouts 73

Carrots 73

Cauliflower 73

Celery 73

Chard r <4

Collard 74

Cresses 75

Cucumbers 75

Citron 75

Dandelion 75

Egg Plant 76

Endive 76

Garlic 76

Ginseng 76

Ground Cherry 76

Horse-Radish 77

Kale 77

Kohlrabi 77

Leeks 77

Lettuc« 77

Martyuia 7$

Melons 78

Mint 73.

Mushroom 78

Mustard 79

Okra 79

Parsley 79

Parsnips 79

Peanut 80

Peas 80

Peppers 80

Pumpkins 80

Radishes 81

Rhubarb 81

Rutabagas 81

Salsify 82

Squash 82

Tomato 82

Turnips 83