E-text prepared by Barbara Watson, Pat McCoy, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Canada Team (http://www.pgdpcanada.net) Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 39483-h.htm or 39483-h.zip: (https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/39483/pg39483-images.html) or (https://www.gutenberg.org/files/39483/39483-h.zip) Transcriber's note: Text in italics is contained within underscores, i.e.: _italics_. Additional notes can be found at the end of the text. The Rural Science Series Edited by L. H. Bailey FARM BOYS AND GIRLS * * * * * The Rural Science Series THE SOIL. THE SPRAYING OF PLANTS. MILK AND ITS PRODUCTS. THE FERTILITY OF THE LAND. THE PRINCIPLES OF FRUIT-GROWING. BUSH-FRUITS. FERTILIZERS. THE PRINCIPLES OF AGRICULTURE. 15th Ed. IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE. THE FARMSTEAD. RURAL WEALTH AND WELFARE. THE PRINCIPLES OF VEGETABLE-GARDENING. FARM POULTRY. THE FEEDING OF ANIMALS. THE FARMER'S BUSINESS HANDBOOK. THE DISEASES OF ANIMALS. THE HORSE. HOW TO CHOOSE A FARM. FORAGE CROPS. BACTERIA IN RELATION TO COUNTRY LIFE. THE NURSERY-BOOK. PLANT-BREEDING. 4th Ed. THE FORCING-BOOK. THE PRUNING-BOOK. FRUIT-GROWING IN ARID REGIONS. RURAL HYGIENE. DRY-FARMING. LAW FOR THE AMERICAN FARMER. FARM BOYS AND GIRLS. THE TRAINING AND BREAKING OF HORSES. _Others in preparation._ * * * * * [Illustration: PLATE I. FIG. 1.--At least once each day the busy farm father may think of a way to combine his work with the children's play.] FARM BOYS AND GIRLS by WILLIAM A. McKEEVER Professor of Philosophy Kansas State Agricultural College New York The Macmillan Company 1913 All rights reserved Copyright, 1912, by the Macmillan Company. Set up and electrotyped. Published February, 1912. Reprinted August, 1912; January, June, 1913. Norwood Press J. S. Cushing Co.--Berwick & Smith Co. Norwood, Mass., U.S.A. DEDICATED TO THE SERVICE OF THE TEN MILLION BOYS AND GIRLS WHO ARE ENROLLED IN THE RURAL SCHOOLS OF AMERICA PREFACE In the preparation of this book I have had in mind two classes of readers; namely, the rural parents and the many persons who are interested in carrying forward the rural work discussed in the several chapters. It has been my aim to give as much specific aid and direction as possible. The first two chapters constitute a mere outline of some of the fundamental principles of child development. It would be fortunate if the reader who is unfamiliar with such principles could have a course of reading in the volumes that treat them extensively. Nearly every suggestion given in the main body of the book is based on what has already either been undertaken with a degree of success or planned for in some rural community.