The content is just an excerpt from the complete note for JSS 2 First Term Agricultural Science Lesson Note – Meaning and Description of Pre-Planting Operation. Check below to download the complete PDF
TOPIC: Agricultural/ cultural practice
CONTENT: Meaning and description of pre-planting operation
- Choice of site
- Stumping
- Plotting
Sub – Topic 1: Definition and types of cultural practices
Cultural practices or operations refer to all the operations carried out on the farm from the beginning of the farming season to the end of that season.
Types of cultural practices
Cultural operations can be classified as
- Pre-planting operations
- Planting operations
- Post-planting operations
Pre-planting operations
These are the farming activities carried out before planting is done. These activities are carried out to prepare and make the soil conducive for the crop to be planted.
Pre-planting operations in sequence are: selection of the site, surveying of the soil and land measurement, clearing, stumping, field plotting or farm layout, tilling or ridging, ploughing, harrowing, nursery and nursery practices.
Selection or choice of site:
The site selected should suit the purpose of production in term of size, fertility of the soil, topography, accessibility, availability of water
Factors guiding siting or choice of (location) of a farm
The success of a farm depends partly on the characteristics of the site on which the farm is located. Therefore, when choosing the site for a farm, a farmer considers the following important factors
Availability of land:
The size of the farm depends on the amount of land available.
Water supply:
It is necessary to site a farm near a river or stream to make water available for the farm crops and animals.
Good soil:
The farm should be located on loose, fertile and well-drained soil.
Sub – Topic 2:
- Plotting or layout:
A new farm is usually laid out into rectangular plots, using the 3,4,5 method A ranging pole and a measuring tape are the essential tools for plotting
- Tillage operations:
A small farm is usually cultivated by tilling; using a hoe to break and loosen the soil to ……