The United States as a Farming Country 
PLANTS NATIVE TO AMERICA WHEN THE COLONISTS ARRIVED 
sweet potato squash bean peanut pineapple 
artichoke red pepper tobacco cotton tomato 
pumpkin maize potato 
3. The National Geographic Magazine for August, 1921, contains a well-illus- 
trated article on these “Ellis Islands.”” Let some one volunteer to bring 
in the magazine and give a short summary of the article. 
The Year Books of the Department of Agriculture describe odd new 
varieties of plants that are being introduced. Find the names of at least 
two valuable food plants introduced during the last ten years. 
Write to the Experiment Station connected with your State College of 
Agriculture for printed matter telling what can be done to improve the 
chief crop of the state. Write also to your Congressman at Washington 
and ask him to send your school a Year Book (free) from the-Depart- 
ment of Agriculture. 
Why some countries excel in farming. 
The following countries are prominent or progressive in agriculture: 
France, Italy, Russia, Germany, Argentina, Japan, Australia, New 
Zealand. Select one, and from the maps and tables in the text and at 
the back of this book, get information with respect to the following 
points : (a) size, (b) relief, (¢) temperature in January and July, (d) rain- 
fall, (e) energy of people, (f) population, (9) density of population, 
(h) transportation facilities. Decide which of these conditions help to 
explain the prominence of the country in agriculture. From a geography 
or an encyclopedia learn something about the character of the people and 
about their government. 
Compare the selected country with the United States in all the conditions 
listed above. 
Are there any conditions unfavorable to agriculture in the country 
selected for study? If so, what are they? 
Why is the country not so prominent in agriculture as the United States? 
Make an oral report to the class upon the country that you select. Be 
sure to point out carefully on the wall map the parts of the country that 
are most important in farming. 
Why some countries are backward in farming. 
Select one of the following countries: Mexico, Spain, Bulgaria, Greece, 
Morocco, Siberia, Peru, Bolivia. Find out why it is backward in agri- 
culture. Take notes under the same headings as in Problem F. 
Has the country any conditions favorable for farming? Explain them. 
Which parts of the United States does the country most resemble in 
relief? in temperature? in rainfall? 
Make an oral report to the class upon the country studied. 
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