SMALL GRAIN ENTERPRISES
Analysis into Jobs.—The following teaching units include the main
jobs in growing and marketing in any one of the small grains: Wheat,
oats, barley, or rye. References are given to pages in New Agriculture,
Montgomery’s Productive Farm Crops and to U. S. Farmers’ Bulletins,
See also book on small grains by Carleton.
1. Deciding whether or not to grow small grains, pp. 84, 85, 102, 106,
109, 111, 113, 114; Farm Crops, 104-108; Bulletins, 1047, 1358,
1440, 1464. Local inquiry.— (a) Which of the small grains are
grown locally? (b) Give reasons for the popularity of certain
ones over the others. (c¢) Ask farmers to compare small grain
growing with other types of farming in returns.
2. Choosing the crop, the type and the variety, pp. 86, 107, 109. Farm
Crops, 109-120, 148; Bulletins 678, 680, 732, 749, 800, 827, 878,
1168, 1280, 1281, 1301, 1303, 1304, 1305, 1340, 1464. Local
inquiry.—Find what varieties of small grains are used locally.
3. Deciding acreage, soil, field and the rotation, pp. 85, 86, 88, 102, 106,
111, 113, 114; Farm Crops, 123, 192, 200; Bulletins, 1047, 1358,
1464. Local inquiry.— (a) Find the small grain acreage on many
local farms. (b) What local soils are preferred for each of the
small grains? (ec) What is the best grain rotation in your region?
4. Securing, cleaning, and testing seed, pp. 33, 36, 41, 91, 104, 107;
Farm Crops, 128, 129; Bulletins, 428, 948, 1287, 1464. Local
inquiry.— (a) How do most local growers secure good seed for
planting? (0) Examine samples and pick our shrivelled, light
and dead seeds and weed seeds.
5. Providing organic matter, pp, 46, 49; Bulletins, 1250, 1464; Local
inquiry.—(a) How is organic matter supplied by the best local
rotation system? (b) Get reasons from farmers who do not prac-
tice the addition of organic matter to the soil.
6. Buying and mixing commercial fertilizer, pp. 44, 45, 69, 70, 90; Farm
Crops, 36, 37, 125, 158. Local inquiry.— (a) How do local farm-
ers procure commercial fertilizer? (b) Give their reasons for
and against home mixing of fertilizers. (e¢) How much fertilizer
is used on small grain by the best growers?
7. Liming the soil, pp. 43, 44, 151, 161; Bulletins, 921, 1464. Local
inquiry—(a) At what time in the grain rotation is the lime
usually applied? (Bb) Get the opinion of farmers on the best
time to apply lime, the kinds and rates of application.
8. Preparing the seed bed, pp. 49-51, 88 103, 107, 111, 114; Farm Crops,
124, 130, 159, 201; Bulletins, 863, 1103, 1464; Local inquiry.—
Describe the different local methods used in preparing seed beds
for grain.
9. Treating seed before planting, pp. 92, 103, 107, 114; Farm Crops, 160;
Local inquiry.—(a) Ask growers how much loss occurs from
smut disease. (b) Describe local methods of treating grain seed
before planting. (¢) Find why some farmers do not treat seed.
10. Sowing seed and fertilizing, pp, 92, 93, 104, 106, 107, 110, 111, 113,
114; Farm Crops, 125-128, 163, 185, 200, 201. Local inquiry.— (a)
Find the rates of seeding for each type of small grains grown in
your region. (b) Why do these differ so much? (¢) Find what
farmers consider the best times for seeding each of these grains.
(d) How many of the farmers apply commercial fertilizer at seed-
ing time? How?
