Correct Answer: B. hedge plants

Explanation

(a)(i) Farm surveying is a series of activities, mainly measurements, performed in the field to locate the farm land, delineate its boundaries, determine its size and produce a map of the farmland.

(ii) Importance of farm surveying e: include: (i) it helps to know the size of the farm. (ii) It helps in the production of the soil map of the farm. (iii) It ensures good planning of the farmstead. (iv) It demarcates the farm boundaries and identifies its features and the location.

(b) Four surveying equipment commonly used in the farm are: (i) Ranging pole (ii) Gunter's chain (iii) Measuring tape (iv) al Prismatic compass.

(i) Ranging poles: These are wood or metal poles used in marking spots or stations during surveying.

(ii) Gunter's chain: This is a surveyor's chain of 100 links. 22 meters long used to measure a piece of land.

(iii) Measuring tapes: These are used in taking short or detailed measurements

(iv) Prismatic compass: This is used to measure horizontal angles between a reference median and a point of interest in order to find the orientation of the point and its bearing.

Correct Answer: D. cross breeding

Correct Answer: C. population pressure

Correct Answer: D. is much more valuable tham labour and capital

Explanation

3(a) Characteristics of fertile soil:

-Rich in plant nutrients

-Percolation of water is low.

-Capillarity is high

-Well aerated.

-Leaching is Low.

-Good water holding capacity.

-Normally neutral in nature.

-Easily worked/cultivated in both dry and wet forms.

-Contains decayed organic matter/humus.

-Normally dark-brown or black

-Contains soil micro organisms.

(b) Factors that affect land availability for production in West Africa

(i) Land Tenure System Prevailing system of land ownership does not encourage prospective farmers to acquire large hectares of land

(ii) Population pressure/size: Land tends to be available where the population is very low, such as in the rural areas. But land will not be available where the population is high such as in urban areas.

(iii) Size of useful land: The size of land ideal for agriculture will also affect its usage. In deserts, mountainous areas and savannahs, the size of land for agriculture will be small.

(iv) Climate: Climatic factors such as rainfall, relative humidity, temperature and day length affect the availability of land for crop and livestock production and distribution in an area.

(v) Religious beliefs: Type of religious beliefs practised in an area will affect land usage. For instance, presence of sacred forests or grooves and rearing of pigs in a muslim dominated area, make land unavailable for agricultural production.

(vi) Soil factor/ type: The type of soil in an area determines the availability of land for farming. The productivity or fertility of the land also determines the type of crops to be grown on it.

(vii) Topography: Refers to the shape of the land surface. The land may be sloping, undulating or flat. Highlands (hilly/mountainous) do not make land available for agriculture since they are prone to erosion. Flat or gentle sloping land is suitable for agricultural purposes since it is less prone to erosion.

(viii) Farming systems: The type of cultivation methods practised in a place will also account for land availability. Cultural methods like bush fallowing, shifting cultivation and deforestation are detrimental to agricultural production.

(ix) Infrastructural demands on land: Demand on land for road construction, buildings, recreational centres, cinemas, etc reduces land available for agriculture.

(x) Government policy: Government may legislate from time to time on the nature and usage of land e.g. land use decree/act/policy which may not encourage the availability of land for agriculture.

(c) Benefits of draining farm lands:

(i) Facilitates early planting.

(ii) Protects soil from water logging.

(iii) Improves soil aeration.

(iv) Improves/increases soil temperature.

(v) Allows for cultivation practices.

(vi) Favours the growth of beneficial bacteria and other soil organisms.

(vii) Means of reclaiming lands for agricultural purposes.

(viii) Leaches out excess salts from soils.

(ix) Enhances seed germination.

(x) Prevents toxicity of plants.

(xi) Provides more soil moisture and plant nutrients.

(xii) Increases the depth of root zones in the soil.

(xiii) Helps to increase decomposition of plants and animal residues.

(xiv) Enhances water infiltration into the soil

(xv) Regulates soil pH

(xvi) Improves soil structure and increases soil productivity.

(xvii) Reduces the incidence of diseases of crops.

(xviii) Reduces the incidence of pests of crops.

(d) Sources of soil nitrogen:

(i) Use of nitrogeneous fertilizers such as urea, ammonium sulphate, etc.

(ii) Symbiotic and non-symbiotic nitrogen fixation/biological fixation.

(iii) Nitrification of certain compounds by nitrobacter and nitrosomonas.

(iv) The action of thunder and lightening (chemical fixation).

(v) Use of organic manures like compost, green manure, etc.

Explanation

(a)(i) Expected total volume of soil and water = 50cm³ + 50cm³ = 100cm³

Actual or given total volume of air and water = 74cm³

Difference in total volume = 100cm³ — 74cm³

The difference represents air space volume = 26cm³

(ii) Porosity of the soil sample = volume of air space in the soil divide volume of soil sample x 100%

26cm³/50cm³ x 100/1 = 260/5 = 52 %

(b) Reasons why soil porosity is important in agriculture: It influences: (i) exchange of gases by the roots/soil aeration (ii) the water retention capacity of soil (iii) nutrient availability in soil (iv) the microbial activities in the soil (v) the pH level of soil (vi) and enhances root penetration in the soil.

(c) Characteristics of: (i) Igneous rocks (a) glassy appearance (b) crystalline appearance (c) light and dark in colour (d) hard or very hard to touch (e) compact

(ii) Sedimentary rocks: (a) appear in layers, sheets or strata (b) coarse textured (c) animal/plant remains may be present (fossils) (d) soft (e) reacts with weak acids e.g. dilute HCL, Carbonic acid does not dissolve in water.

Explanation

(a) Definition: Climate is the average weather condition of a place, measured over a long period of time (over 35 years). Importance of climate in agriculture are: (i) affects the duration of a cropping season (ii) determines the yield of crops and animals (iii) limits the types of crops/livestock to be grown or reared in an area (iv) vegetation distribution affects soil formation (v) affects the incidence of pests (vi) affects the incidence of diseases.

(b) Ways in which high rainfall affects agricultural production: (i) prolongs the cropping season (ii) increases the problem of plant diseases (iii) determines the type of crop to be grown (iv) increases the incidence of erosion/flooding (v) encourages thick forestation thus the incidence of pest e.g. tse-tse flies infestation (vi) encourages the growth of disease causing organisms (pathogens) (vii) increases leaching of plant nutrients/soil acidity (viii) it causes water logging in clayey soil (ix) determines the type of crops or livestock grown or reared i.e. distribution of crops and animals (x) encourages faster or rapid growth of weeds.

(c) Forms in which water exists in soil are: (i) capillary water (ii) hygroscopic water (iii) gravitational water.

(d) Ways through which soil water may be lost are: (i) surface run-off/erosion (ii) percolation/seepage (iii) evaporation (iv) transpiration

Explanation

Explanation of agricultural terms such as: (a) Salvage Value: (i) this applies to farm assets such as machinery which depreciates in value. (ii) The asset depreciates in value to a point where it may attract little value. (iii) at this point, it is termed obsolete and sold off as scrap. (iv) The receipt of such sales is called salvage value.

(b) Farm inventory: (i) refers to the records of all the assets and liabilities of a farm, (ii) Examples of assets are cash at hand, land and landed properties, machinery, crops and livestock. (iii) Examples of liabilities include loan payments and interest. (iv) A good inventory records can assist the farmer to obtain bank loans, i.e they make him more credit worthy.

(c) Farm assets: (i) refers to all property and cash owned by a farmer. (ii) Examples are landed property, buildings, machinery, crop and livestock owned by the farmer. (iii) An evaluation of the assets gives the net worth of the farmer. (iv) can assist in obtaining bank loans for developement.

(d) Point of diminishing return: (i) In production practices, there are usually fixed and variable resources or inputs. (ii) When variable resources are being increased against fixed resources, there is usually increase in the yields, e.g. fertilizer application rates being increased against the plot of land. (iii) There is a point at which additional application of this variable resources against the fixed assets, leads to while maximum returns, after which further increases in the variable factor will lead to a decline in the returns. (iv) The point at which this net return begins to decline is usually referred to as the point of diminishing returns. (v) This law is very important in agricultural production because there is a maximum level of application of resources which may lead to net loss. This should be avoided.

(e) Depreciation: (i) refers to the reduction in the value or performance of an asset, e.g. a farm machinery. (ii) Depreciation is the value at purchase over the value after a number of years of use (iii) Rate of depreciation usually varies with the type of fixed asset. The more durable asset depreciates at a i slower rate than the less durable ones. (iv) Depreciation is taken into account in the annual valuation of the farm.

Correct Answer: D. plough-harrow-ridger