106 TEACHING BY FARM TRAINS 



Some twenty thousand people visited the train in its trip over the state. 

 A great proportion of these people receive the Station bulletins; but some do 

 not and to show how great an interest is being evinced in poultry at the pres- 

 ent time it might be well to note that over a thousand people put their names 

 down in the book for Station bulletins. Someone was always in charge 

 of the Poultry department exhibit on the train and there was a constant 

 circle of inquirers around him. Questions were asked particularly on the 

 housing, feeding, hatching, and rearing. Probably because the train was 

 operated in the late spring, most of the questions were with regard to 

 hatching and the great mortality that has prevailed among the newly 

 hatched chickens in many sections. 



The special train was out fifteen days, stopping at about sixty different 

 places. The regular stop was two hours, one hour of which was given to 

 inspecting the train and the other to three or four short practical addresses 

 on different agricultural topics. In many places the audience was given 

 a chance to select a topic that they wished discussed. It was interesting to 

 note the number of times poultry was asked for. 



Four years previous a similar train had been conducted through the state 

 of Maine. It attracted a large number of visitors, but it was regarded 

 much as a curiosity and was visited by numbers of persons who con- 

 sidered only the unusual spectacular features of such an undertaking. 

 Nevertheless, much good was accomplished through disseminating valuable 

 information among the farming communities. This year the situation was 

 entirely changed. The "newness" of farming trains had worn away and the 

 uninterested did not care to look on. Yet the attendance at exhibits and lec- 

 tures, both day and evening, was larger than in 1906, and ninety per cent of 

 the spectators and auditors were those who are actively engaged in farming. 

 While the first special was regarded by many as a sort of free circus, that of 

 this year was looked on wholly as a school of agricultural demonstration and 

 instruction. 



A minor problem has arisen with the trip of the Modern Farming Special 

 in Maine. How is it best to continue this course of instruction? 

 While an occasional "special'* may do a vast amount of good, it is apparent 

 that the farmers need more than one lesson to thoroughly understand the 

 principal features of any one branch of farming. It would seem that some 

 plan must be adopted to continue the work so auspiciously begun. Such a 

 plan must possess merits which will result in its having a permanent place 

 in the forwarding of general agriculture. The cause is worthy of the most 

 careful consideration. There is here an opportunity for co-operation at 

 home as well as abroad; co-operation on the part of the railroads, state 



