American Farm Book

This pocket-sized guide to American agriculture-the "most healthful, the most useful, the most noble employment of man," according to its author - pays tribute to the soil, the irrigation methods, and the grain, roots, fruits, and rice that helped make America what it is today. First published in 1849, The American Farm Book offers valuable and relevant information, including: how to identify soil, and know which kinds work best with which crops; instructions for preparing the land for planting by plow and irrigation; the purpose of meadows and grasses; tips for getting rid of weeds, bugs, and fungus; uses for corn, barley, rye, and wheat; methods to prevent rot and decay in potatoes; the health benefits for cattle of certain grains and vegetables; basic suggestions for farm buildings, fences, and shade trees.Illustrated throughout with vintage line drawings, this wonderful piece of Americana will intrigue, inform, and intoxicate small-scale farmers and armchair gardeners alike. (4 1/2 x 7 1/4, 328 pages, illustrations, charts)R.L. Allen was the editor of "The American Agriculturist" and author of Diseases of Domestic Animals.