Vol. LIX. No. 2628 
NEW YORK, JUNE 9, 1900. 
II PER YEAR. 
A JEWISH AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL. 
THE BARON DE HIR8CH INDUSTRIAL INSTITUTE. 
Good Work Done ai Woodbine. 
It is reported that Secretary Wilson, of the United 
States Department of Agriculture, said, after making 
a visit to the so-called National Farm School at 
Doylesitawn, Pa.: “I think it is the only Jewish agri¬ 
cultural school in the world.” Yet, at 
the same time, there was in operation 
the flourishing Jewish agricultural 
school within 50 miles of the City of 
Philadelphia, which had been in opera¬ 
tion since the Fall of 1893. This 
school was the outgrowth of a coloniz¬ 
ing scheme which the managers of the 
Baron de Hirsch fund have had in op¬ 
eration for quite a period of years. The 
trustees of this fund bought, in 1891, a 
tract of about 1,400 acres of land, situ¬ 
ated in the northern part of Cape May 
County, New Jersey, 56 miles south of 
Philadelphia, and began at once to lay 
out plans for the establishment of a 
colony for Russian refugees. At pres¬ 
ent the town (Woodbine) is a thriv¬ 
ing and prosperous settlement of 
about 1,400 inhabitants. The people 
are employed either in the four factor¬ 
ies in the town, or on their farms. 
There are two public schools, with an 
enrollment of about 180 pupils; a 
kindergarten with 45 pupils, and a 
night school with 35 pupils. In nine 
years’ time only two persons in the 
town have been arrested for drunken¬ 
ness, and nefither of these was a Jew. 
Not long after the establishment of 
the colony a plan was formed for the 
establishment of a school, for the bene¬ 
fit of the families of the colony, which 
should not only give lessons in the 
English branches, but at the same time 
give instruction in scientific and prac¬ 
tical agriculture. In the Winter of 
1893 and 1894 a few of the brightest 
boys of the Woodbine farmers were en¬ 
gaged in clearing and improving the 
land on the present school farm, and 
lessons in the common English 
branches were given them. A series of 
lectures on various agricultural sub¬ 
jects were also given once a week dur¬ 
ing the Winter months. The result of 
these lectures proved so encouraging 
that it was decided to build a large 
barn, the upper story of which was to 
be used for a lecture room. During 
the erection of the building, in the 
Spring of 1894, it was deemed advis¬ 
able to change the plan so as to make 
the building entirely available for 
school purposes. During the prepara¬ 
tory period of the school—March and 
October—1894, 42 pupils were regis¬ 
tered. They could not receive a sys¬ 
tematic course of instruction, as the 
school was not then fully organized, 
but they were given practical instruction in the plant¬ 
ing, grafting, and care of fruit trees, and in the grow¬ 
ing of truck and field crops. In October, 1894, the 
first regular class, consisting of 15 boys, was organ¬ 
ized. For the first three years the school was with¬ 
out a dormitory, and the pupil's either lived with 
their parents or among the families of the colony. 
The purpose of the school from the start has been 
to give Jewish boys instruction in the common Eng¬ 
lish branches, and in scientific and practical agricul¬ 
ture, so as to fit them as skilled farm laborers, and 
for them ultimately to become managers of farms of 
their own. With this plan in view the work has 
been made thoroughly practical. The instruction 
consists of a three-years’ course, divided into two 
terms each year (the Summer and Winter), covering 
the entire year with the exception of about two weeks 
BARN, SILOS AND PART OF IIERD. Fig. 119. 
in the Fall and in the Spring. During the last Sum¬ 
mer term, those who do not expect to take higher 
studies at some other institution, serve an appren¬ 
ticeship, either on some well-managed farm or on 
the school farm at Woodbine, for another season of 
six months. The students are kept busy with their 
school work one-half of each day, and the other half 
is occupied with practical work in the field, the 
greenhouses, the poultry department, or in the care 
of the stock or their products. It will thus be seen 
that the work throughout is made thoroughly prac¬ 
tical. The students care for all of the stock, the 
barn and stables being a striking illustration of thrift 
and cleanliness. The products of the herd are used, 
mainly, in the boarding department, but incidentally 
furnish a means for instruction in the care and manu¬ 
facture of dairy products. The coarse fodder of the 
herd is mainly corn silage, corn stover, 
and small quantities of hay. During 
the Summer season the animals are 
supported almost entirely by soiling 
crops. While the farm is not an ideal 
dairy farm, it demonstrates the possi¬ 
bility of carrying on dairying where 
pasturage is not available. When the 
student is shown that it is entirely 
practical to make a success of dairying 
under such conditions, he will find it 
relatively easy on the better dairy 
farms. About 25 acres are planted to 
apples, pear, and peach trees, and these 
are making a fine growth. We have 
not seen a more thrifty or better-kept 
vineyard than the one on the school 
farm. Grapes, raspberries, blackber¬ 
ries and strawberries are the main 
fruits grown for market. About 10 
acres of strawberries will be in bear¬ 
ing the present season. A visit to the 
greenhouse, early in January, found 
the students, with an assistant, pack¬ 
ing lettuce for Philadelphia market. 
One house, about 100 feet in length, 
was entirely occupied by this crop. 
Mushrooms are generally considered to 
require considerable skill to grow suc¬ 
cessfully, yet these were being grown 
and shipped to New York in consider¬ 
able quantities. One small greenhouse 
is given up, almost entirely, to this 
crop. The poultry department is just 
being established, but this will be 
made an important branch of work in 
the future. Quite a colony of bees are 
kept on the farm, and the students 
have an opportunity to learn how to 
manage and care for them. 
In a visit to one of the classes I 
found the students studying about fer¬ 
tilizers. The lesson for the day was 
upon potash compounds, and the inter¬ 
est manifested, as well as the replies 
to questions, indicated that these Jew¬ 
ish youths were getting at the bottom 
principles fully as easily as American 
boys of the same age. A few ques¬ 
tions and answers will show the clear¬ 
ness with which the pupils grasp the 
main principles: 
“In what form does potash exist in 
ashes?” “A very available form, the 
carbonate of potash.” “In what forms 
in German potash salts?” “As sul¬ 
phate, as muriate, and as kainit.” 
“Any other substances in kainit?” 
“Yes, calcium carbonate, common salt, 
and calcium sulphate.” “Would you 
use kainit freely as a fertilizer?” “It is not a readily 
available source of potash, and should not be used on 
all crops.” “On what crops might it be used?” “On 
orchards and small fruits.” “For what crops would 
sulphate of potash be particularly useful?” “For to¬ 
bacco, sugar cane, or potatoes.” “What are the uses 
of kainit in the soil?” “As plant food; it unlocks 
plant food, it hoWs moisture and absorbs and holds 
ammonia.” _ jj‘ 
