757 
m7 lHfc hlihAL AEW'VORKCH. 
Burnt (Topics. 
BUCEPHALUS BROWN’S NOTIONS AND 
IDEAS. 
^I^he New England Thanksgiving.—' This 
-L (Jay was, in its origin, of ecclesiastical in¬ 
stitution, hut it followed the general coarse of 
church holidays and has become chiefly a day 
of pleasant recreation and family reunion. 
Chrusi said that what we do to promote the 
welfare and happiness of each other we do to 
Him: and perhaps the use of holidays to culti¬ 
vate the social domestic affeotious is a better 
use than their entire devotion to a formal 
praise and worship of tho Deity. The old no¬ 
tion that God is an infinitely magnified Ca>sar, 
is gradually perishing, as the spirit of Chris¬ 
tianity becomes truly operative in the hearts 
of men, and we are beginning to understand 
that the chief if not the only way we can 
show love to our Creator, is in obeying his 
command to “love one another.” 
The Idaho Pear. —A specimen of this 
really remakable fruit, to which the R. N.-Y. 
has several times made reference, was recently 
received by me from a friend in that Terri¬ 
tory. It combines the size of AngouKhno with 
the genera] appearance and more than the 
quality of the Bart lett If it proves adapted 
to general cultivation this pear will really be 
a great acquisition. Its season at Lewiston 
in Idaho, which has a modified Pacific coast 
climate, may be no indication of its season on 
the Atlantic slope. It is a good keeper there 
fur an autumn pear. Under date of Octo¬ 
ber 8, the sender says they are just in then- 
prime. 
Professor Sanborn.—I am glad to see 
the very good portrait of Prof. Sanborn in 
the Rural of Get. 22. He has. I think, more 
correctly and energetically marked out the 
direction which the teacher of agriculture, 
both as to art and science, must pursue to make 
our schools of agriculture successful, than 
any other man. He is filled with the spirit 
and the purpose of the Morrill bill, as it came 
front the mind of its author, to the extent 
that no other man seems to have been. He 
has shown that the thing is practicable, and 
it is to be hoped that in all our agricultural 
colleges his spirit and methods may be com a- 
gious. 
Our Agricultural Colleges —An in¬ 
dustrial school can never Audits model in any 
literary institution. The whole business must 
be modeled upon eutirely dill'ercnt lines. It 
is a misfortune that these schools were ever 
called “Colleges,” and a worse one that in 
their inception they so generally fell into the 
hands of men educated in literary colleges. 
Their organization, so often with a D. D. at 
the head, with classes nicknamed after those 
of their false prototypes, and with a curricu¬ 
lum travestied from the same source, was 
premonitory of nothing else than failure. 
A Fahmkus’ Training School is what wo 
want and what tho farmers’ share of the In¬ 
dustrial college grunts should support. It 
should be* * nether classical,literary nor mathe¬ 
matical. A good knowledge of the plain 
English language, and of common arithmetic, 
should he the only requirements for entrance. 
Tho terminology of the natural sciences, and 
some elementary acquaintance with these, 
might be added. Once entered on, the whole 
course of instructions should be exclusively 
practical—a* much so as at West Point—the 
object being to make in one case the farmer, 
as in the other the soldier. To this end tho 
manual practice of ail farming and gardening 
operations should be daily taught, to every pu¬ 
pil. The college farm should be made to pay, 
right under the pupils’ eyes, and the methods 
by which it is made to pay should Lc the great 
subject of teaching. Not one particle of 
what is called ‘-culture teaching,” t. e., teach¬ 
ing with the special purpose of character de¬ 
velopment, should be giveu in these or any 
other institutions for technical instruction. 
No one thinks of introducing culture teaching 
in a medical, n legal, a naval or a military 
school. Not that it is not desirable for tho 
studeuts of all such institutions to possess cul- 
tuie (if callable of it), but that, they must get 
it elsewhere. It can be got by reading and 
private study, all through life, by those who 
desire it The majority of men do not desire 
it. It maybe said with truth that they tire 
incapable of it; but if ever so capable, the ui 
dustrial school should never be called upon to 
give it. 
Farm Pupils. —In England it is quite com¬ 
mon for eminent farmers to take pupils to 
learn the business. This is hardly knowu in 
America, yet it has been my fortune to take 
several, and one of them, who came to me an 
agricultural college giaduate, stayed with me 
three seasons. He had some literary .tastes, 
and gratified them in his leisure hours. I oc¬ 
casionally gave him some hints as to his read¬ 
ing, but that was all ex-officio. My function 
was to teach him agriculture, and I taught 
that in the field, with the plow and hoe and 
spade and dung fork in hand That is what 
the teachers of an agricultural school should 
do, and that is what “Professor” Sanborn did 
in the New Hampshire Agricultural College, 
and the boys learned of him vastly more than 
they did of any other teachers they had there 
—more of agriculture, l mean. 
They Learned Otper Things besides the 
manual operations, for they learned to bring 
everything to the test of figures. The scales 
were in constant use in that college barn, and 
nothing was left to lie guessed at. Accuracy, 
above everything else, was sternly inculcated. 
No theory, however elaborate or plausible or 
backed by great names, had any weight there, 
except as it proved itself in practical work. 
Tae German tables were not taken on trust. 
They were tested and sifted, and in many 
cases proved to be wrong at the bands of the 
students themselves, under teacher Sanborn's 
instructions. This was the first genuine agri¬ 
cultural instruction, of a really scientific 
order that had ever been seen in New England, 
It was not in the same class with the fancy 
squash experiments of the Amherst school. 
It was a stern putting of important practical 
questions in feeding, breeding and fattening, 
in planting, manuring and tillage, to nature 
herself, and the registering of results at 
every step, with a view to a final summing 
up and a conclusive decision on each ques¬ 
tion,—an answer to the question “Is this so 
or not." 
[B. B.’s compliments to the Editor, and he 
would say that the icy road is one of the “par¬ 
ticular conditions’' referred to under which 
shoeing is necessary. But in those sections 
where snow lasts until spring conies, and in 
those where it goes as quickly as it. comes, icy 
roads are practically unknown. They consti¬ 
tute by far the greater part of this continent.] 
ANOTHER WORD ABOUT FARMERS’ 
INSTITUTES. 
r I^IIE R, N.-Y. has done well—as it has a 
JL. habit of doing—in giving special attention 
to farmers’ institutes and to the good results 
of State aid to them. In most States such aid 
has uot been given: in many there are only 
biennial sessions of the State Legislatures; 
probably in no one can money be secured by 
future action in time to be available during 
the approchiug winter Now what? Is it 
either necessary or desirable to wait for legis¬ 
lative aid? Can we do more now tbau to say 
the State Board of Agriculture or the State 
Agricultural Society ought to lead in this 
matter? 
I have ec.me to doubt if more good would 
uot result from many farmers' institutes if 
they were the outgrowth wholly of a desire 
for them by the farmers in the communities 
iu which they are held: and if they were con¬ 
ducted and all expenses paid by those in the 
locality, being usually under the direction of 
some agricultural society—alliance, club, 
grange, or other body. 
The R. N.-Y. is one of the best agricul¬ 
tural papers iu the United States. He does a 
good work who pays for it and sends it to 
some farmer who would not subscribe for it 
for himself. Often, however, it would be 
even better if such a fanner could be induced 
to pay for tho paper himself. There are 
some places, many of them, where farmers’ 
institutes will bo la id only when the State or 
some outside organization takes the lead. 
But some of the very best agricultural insti¬ 
tutes 1 have ever attended were planned, ar¬ 
ranged for, attended and addressed by men 
and women scarcely one of whom lived ten 
miles distant from the place of meeting. 
An experienced conductor and able speakers 
Of wide reputation are great helps, but not 
essentials. Naturally I do uot agree with the 
somewhat common statements that *• Profes¬ 
sors'’ are necessarily mere theorists. I am 
glad to believe I have done some good to the 
cause of agriculture by a hundred or two of 
addresses at agricultural meetings. But most 
earnestly do I advocate holding farmers’ in¬ 
stitutes even if for only a single day, ouly 
attended by farmers from a single town, and 
even if no one outside of the town cau be 
secured to make an address. Little meetings, 
inexpensive, w ith little noise about them, may 
do great good and can lie held, it seems to me, 
iu almost any agricultural community. 
It is vastly more important that, the work bo 
done than that anybody should have t he credit 
of originating the plan: but Prof. Cook's state¬ 
ments that the plan of farmers’ institutes 
Originated with the Michigan Agricultural 
College, and that Michigan led in the matter 
are extraordinary. The writer of this had 
the pleasure of helping in a number of insti¬ 
tutes held iu Wisconsin before the dates 
given by Prof. Cook, and certainly had no 
thought that the plan was original then, 
Under the direction of this University at least 
eight institutes were held in different parts of 
Illinois in 1809-70, and 187041, five or six 
years hefore the time named by Prof. Cook. 
As t.o recent work, the Illinois State Board of 
Agriculture has held 11 institutes within a 
year, the University being represented at all, 
and a number of other institutes were very 
successfully held under local auspices. 
University of Illinois. (Prof.) g. e. morrow. 
who originated farmers’ institutes? 
In the Rural of Oct. 20 I noticed that the 
Michigan Agaicultural College is given the 
credit for first originating farmers’ ins'itutes. 
in 1875. I do not know that tho Iowa Agri¬ 
cultural College was first to start in this good 
work, but I do know that in the winters of 
1870 and ’71-72, Pres. A. 8. Walsh. Prof. G. 
W. Jones, Ellen S. Tupper, Prof, Matthews. 
Prof. C. E. Bessey and the writer of this held 
12 very successful farmers’institutes in the 
State of Iowa. If the credit for originating 
this kind of work is due to any one man, L 
think that it should be gi en to Pres. Walsh. 
He threw his whole soul into the work, and it 
was only when failing health admonished him 
that he was physically unable to travel and 
speak day and night in that rigorous climate, 
that, he reluctantly gave it up. 
Ithnca, N. Y. I. p. ROBERTS. 
a self-correction. 
Dr. Beal calls my attention to the fact that 
the Michigan Agricultural College was not 
the first to inaugurate farmers’ institutes. Bv 
referring to the reports of the Illinois Uni¬ 
versity (Champaign), it will be seen that Dr. 
Gregory originated this important work in 
1*71 Tbe plan adopted by Dr. Gregory was 
much like tbe one that has been so successful 
with us. a. j. COOK. 
FARMERS’ INSTITUTES IN MASSACHUSETTS. 
The articles on farmers' institutes, on page 
718 of the Rural, are timely contributions 
to a matter of popular interest What is said 
about Massachusetts instilutes, however, is 
not exactly correct. Besides the annual three 
days’meeting of the State Board of Agricul¬ 
ture, each of the 38 county societies iu the 
State is obliged to hold at least three in¬ 
stitutes during the year under penalty of 
forfeiting the State aid of $000 per annum. 
At these institutes some member of the Fac¬ 
ulty of the Agricultural College, or of the 
State Board is among the speakers. Probably 
our college Professors are doing as much in 
this respect, in comparison with the actual 
labor required in a bona fide agricultural 
college, as the Professors of any similar insti¬ 
tution iu other States. I am convinced, how¬ 
ever, that a central authority with the requi¬ 
site power and means to systematize and 
thoroughly advertise the farmers' institutes 
is a part of the test plau for conducting this 
work. A unionof this idea with the present 
system employed in Massachusetts ought to 
produce the best results. To tuy mind agri¬ 
cultural progress in future will be due, first, 
to the work of au able, well sustained agricul¬ 
tural press; second, to wcll-mnnagod farmers’ 
institutes: third, to the agricultural experi- 
m< tit stations, aud, fourth, to the agricultural 
Colleges. HERBERT MY RICK. 
floriniliiiral. 
AUTUMN GARDENING. 
V UTUMN work in the garden is not very 
extensive. It should chiefly consist of a 
general straightening up and preparation for 
the next spring. Of course the plants which 
gladden our ayes iu tho autumn are planted 
in tho preceding spring, and, similarly, this 
season is the time to make preparation for 
the next year. If we wish to have a display 
of gorgeous bulbs as soou as the frost is out 
of t he ground, we must plant, them before cold 
weather sets in. Nothing is more thoroug bly 
satisfactory Chau a bed of hardy bulbs for 
early spring flowers; and, if planted in rows, 
annuals may be sown hetw, eti them, which 
will come into bloom after the bulbs are over. 
Hyacinths are always admired, and they 
will do well in any fairly good garden soil, 
though they prefer a rich, sandy loam. How¬ 
ever, they must be well treated, or they will 
degenerate. Though requiring a rich soil, 
they must not lie treated with rank manure; 
it must he well rotted and placed a foot be¬ 
low the surface of the bed. The ground 
should be dug to the depth of 15 inches; six 
inches of manure should be placed at the bot¬ 
tom. aud about four inches of soil ou this; on 
this place the hnlbs about six inches apart 
and cover them with five inches of soil. If 
the Mid is very heavy the bulbs may be just 
covered with coarse sand flrst aud then with 
the soil. The bed must be very thoroughly 
drained. These bulbs may be planted from 
September to November; wheu the top of the 
ground is frozen hard the bed should be 
mulched with leaves, to prevent alternate 
freezing and thawing, which would rot the 
bulbs. 
Tulips may be planted during October and 
November, in beds prepared as for hya¬ 
cinths- They should bp put. in at a depth of 
four or five inebps, care being taken to insure 
uniformity of planting, so that they mav all 
come out at the same time Tbe late single 
varieties are most suitable for the open bor¬ 
der. The familiar Due Van Tbol, scarlet, 
crimson or white, is most satisfactory, and so 
is the pink Cottage Maid. In buying bulbs 
by mail, or, for the matter of that, any other 
plant, care should be taken to send onlv to a 
well-known and reliable dealer, and it will 
generally be found more satisfactory to select 
named sorts from a catalogue than to send for 
a mixed collection. In too many rases, tte 
the unfortunate buyer finds that the collection 
is indeed “mixed,” consisting of “culls” and 
sweepings of the Dutch growers. 
Narcissuses hold a prominent place among 
spring bulbs; thev should he planted in clumps, 
and left undisturbed; they will then improve 
annually both in quantity and quality of flow 
ers. There is au infinite variety to choose 
from; the big. bouncing yellow Daffodil, 
familiar in all old gardens: the Hoop Petti¬ 
coat Daffodil, shaped like Queen Best’s farth¬ 
ingale, and the delicate Poet’s Narcissus will 
be an effective trio. 
Crocuses are brilliant and showy. They 
should be planted one inch apart and three 
inches deep. They should not be planted later 
than October. 
Snowdrops are perhaps the earlies* - spring 
flowers, and the most fragile in apnea - ance. 
They should be planted in masses r-arlv in the 
fall, and will he most effective if placed alter¬ 
nately with the hi tie Siberian Squill Plant 
the bulbs two inches deep. They should be 
left undistnri e d for years, and in a shaded 
place they will soon form a dense mass. 
TRISFS will flower later than these other 
bulbs and are extremelv showy. T< ey prefer 
a sheltered, sunny situation, with alight, rich 
soil. It. must be well drained, and requires 
mulching in the summer. Kmmpfer’s Irises 
are the showiest of the family; they bloom 
freely, and are thoroughly hardy. The flowers 
are very large, and range in color from white 
to deep purple. Some of them are exquisitely 
penciled and variegated. When growing vig¬ 
orously. thev soon form large plumps, and 
may be divided every second or third year. 
They may also bo grown from seed: the seed¬ 
lings will bloom the second year The irises 
may be planted any time before the ground 
freezes. 
In addition to these bulbs, shrubs and liardv 
roses may be planted in the autumn; after 
that the out-door gardener may take Uncle 
Ned’s advice and hang up the shovel and tbe 
hoe until the following spring. 
_ EMILY LOUISE TAPLIN. 
TUomait’s Work. 
CONDUCTED BY EMILY LOUISE TAPLIN. 
CHAT BY THE WAY. 
O UGHT a girl in moderate circumstances 
to think it a matter of sympathy that she 
is obliged to do her share of the housework, 
merely because she has a taste for what we 
call the fine arts? Ought she, therefore, to 
lament stubbed fingers and roughened palms, 
when the distasteful work is a self eviden 
duty in her circumstances? 
It is most desirable that every girl should 
acquire any accomplishment possible: any¬ 
thing that lightens toil and makes life bright¬ 
er. But when she has neither the ability nor 
the expectation of making this accomplish¬ 
ment a means of livelihood, while it is plainly 
her duty to cook and sweep and scour—why, 
she should make housework a fine art. and 
ignore the stubbed fingers. 
* * * 
A popular comic opera contains a “topical” 
song with the flippant refrain, “It depends on 
the way it’s done.” There's a power of phil¬ 
osophy in that bit of slaDg; it certainly ap¬ 
plies to the matter under consideration. 
Some time ago we mentioned that new aud 
clever definition of the word heroine—an edu¬ 
cated American woman who does her own 
housework. It does require heroism in many 
cases—never more than in a community where 
such labor and the accompanying roughened 
hands are looked on its lowering, or unfit for 
educated women. In such a case it requires 
high moral courage—tbe very antithesis of 
snobb ry. 
* * * 
Somehow, girls nowadays are brought up 
with a vastly different opinion of the dignity 
of labor from that iuculcated in their moth- 
ora’ youth. The domestic iustiuct is born in 
every woman, but many mothers lose sight of 
this m their attempt to give (heir daughters 
greater educational advantages than they 
themselves possessed. Educate ihei i, by all 
means; give them the broad sympa'hy we 
call culture, which is far a' ove mere parrot 
knowledge, and, if means permit, five them 
those social arts we call aceomplisunents 
But if, with all this, they are to acquire the 
belief that these accomplishments are more 
woman!/ and befitting than the care of the 
