<h1><strong>USES OF FARM STRUCTURES AND BUILDINGS; MAINTENANCE OF FARM STRUCTURES AND BUILDINGS</strong></h1> CONTENT <ol> <li>Uses of Farm Structures</li> <li>Uses of Farm Buildings</li> <li>Maintenance of Farm Structures and Buildings</li> </ol>   <h2><strong>Uses of Farm Structures</strong></h2> The following are some farm structures and their uses: <strong>Silo: </strong>It is used for storing harvested grains like maize, cowpea, sorghum, millet and grasses to feed animals. <img class="size-full wp-image-36302 aligncenter" src="https://classhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/uses-of-farm-structures-silo.jpg" alt="Uses of farm structures - Silos" width="225" height="185" /> <strong>Cribs: </strong>Cribs are used for drying and storing maize which are still on the cob/unshelled maize (dual purpose) <strong>Rhumbus: </strong>It is used for storing grains but in small quantity such as millet, maize, cowpea, sorghum and ground nut. <strong>Feed mills: </strong>They are used to manufacture animal feeds. <strong>Barns: </strong>Barns are used for storing crops like yam, cocoyam, cassava, as well as grass or hay. <strong>Animal dips: </strong>They are used as bath for farm animals to prevent them from ecto-parasites such lice, ticks, etc.   <h2><strong>Uses of Farm Buildings</strong></h2> The following are some farm buildings and their uses:

<h1><strong>CROP PROPAGATION AND CULTURAL PRACTICES</strong></h1> CONTENT <ol> <li>Meaning of Propagation</li> <li>Methods of Crop Propagation</li> <li>Sexual Propagation of Crops</li> <li>Characteristics of a Good Seed</li> <li>Asexual Propagation of Crops</li> <li>Forms of Asexual Propagation</li> </ol>   <h2><strong>Meaning of Propagation<u></u></strong></h2> Crop propagation is the practice of increasing the number of crop plants by sowing their seeds or planting their cuttings, leaves stems and roots. OR Crop propagation is the reproduction of a new plant as an independent unit. Propagation is primarily aimed at reproducing new young plants series by two methods. <h2><strong>Methods of Crop Propagation</strong></h2> <ol> <li>By seed (sexual propagation).</li> <li>By vegetative organs (asexual propagation).</li> </ol> <h3><strong>Sexual Propagation of Crops</strong></h3> This is the production of new plants through the use of seeds. Sexual propagation of crops involves the fertilization, that is union or joining together of male and female gametes (pollen grains and ovules) from two parents’ flowers to form the ovule which later mature to produce seeds. <strong>Seeds</strong> are the main plant form of reproduction in sexual propagation of crops. <h4><strong>Characteristics of a Good Seed</strong></h4> Seeds to be propagated should have the following characteristics:

<h1><strong>ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF CROP ROTATION</strong></h1> CONTENT <ol> <li>Advantages of Sexual Propagation</li> <li>Disadvantages of Sexual Propagation</li> <li>Advantages of Asexual Propagation</li> <li>Disadvantages of Asexual/Vegetative Propagation</li> </ol>   <h2><strong>Advantages and Disadvantages of Propagation by Seeds</strong></h2> <h3><strong>Advantages of Sexual Propagation</strong></h3> The following are the advantages of sexual propagation of seeds: <ol> <li>Seeds are light and can easily be transported.</li> <li>Seeds are relatively cheaper.</li> <li>Seeds are easy to to procure.</li> <li>It is very easy to practice, that is, seeds can be carried conveniently to the farm.</li>

<h1><strong>PRE-PLANTING OPERATIONS </strong></h1> CONTENT <ol> <li>Definition of Cultural Practices</li> <li>Types of Cultural Practices</li> <li>Pre-planting Operations</li> </ol>   <h2><strong>Definition of Cultural Practices</strong></h2> 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 the season. <h2><strong>Types of Cultural Practices</strong></h2> Cultural operations can be classified as; <ul> <li>Pre-planting operations</li> <li>Planting operations</li> <li>Post-planting operations</li> </ul> <h2><strong>Pre-planting Operations</strong></h2> 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. <strong>Pre-planting operations in sequence are: </strong>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. <h3>1. <strong>Selection or Choice of Site</strong></h3> The site selected should suit the purpose of production in term of size, fertility of the soil, topography, accessibility, availability of water <h3><strong>Factors Guiding the Siting or Choice of (Location) of a Farm</strong></h3> 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: (i)<strong> Availability of land</strong>: The size of the farm depends on the amount of land available.

<h1><strong>PLANTING OPERATIONS</strong></h1> CONTENT <ol> <li>Meaning of Planting Operations</li> <li>Planting Operations</li> </ol>   <h2><strong>Meaning of Planting Operations</strong></h2> These are operations associated with the actual planting or sowing of the planting materials. <h2><strong>Planting Operations</strong></h2> Planting operations include the following: <ol> <li>Seed treatment</li> <li>Determination of planting distance/spacing</li> <li>Determination of seed rate</li> <li>Determination of planting date</li> <li>Determination of planting depth</li> <li>Determination of methods of planting.</li> </ol> <h3><strong>Seed Rate</strong></h3> Seed rate is the amount or quantity of seeds or planting material used on a hectare of land. It is expressed in kilogram per hectare (kg/ha) in the case of seeds and in number of stands per hectare for vegetative propagation. NB: Calculation required