1896 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
841 
HOW TO TEACH AGRICULTURE. 
Twelve years ago, the regeDts of the University 
of Wisconsin, realizing that farmers would not 
send their sons to take the four years’ course, 
directed that a short, practical course of agri¬ 
cultural instruction be offered to young farmers 
in winter time. Accordingly, a 12-weeks’ term 
was planned, and that winter we had 19 young 
men with us. Though we had good teachers, our 
facilities for instruction were quite limited, and 
in many respects we were traveling an unknown 
road, for at that time not a great deal was really 
known about practical agricultural education. 
Our facilities gradually increased, and five years 
later we divided the course into the farmers’ 
course and one for creamery and cheese factory 
operators, or a factory dairy course, farm dairy 
instruction continuing as before to be a feature 
of the farmers’ course. The dairy course proper 
continues, as originally planned, during 12 
weeks, but the farmers’ course of instruction, 
still known as the short course, now covers two 
terms of 14 weeks each, beginning December 1. 
We have followed the original plan of strength¬ 
ening and lengthening the course as circum¬ 
stances warranted, and even now with the length¬ 
ened period our instruction is much crowded 
because of the large number of teachers employed 
and the increased apparatus and facilities avail¬ 
able. We now have three buildings besides those 
at the farm exclusively devoted to agriculture, 
and the short course will this winter require 16 
instructors and helpers. 
To those who may be surprised at the large 
number of instructors used, let me say that in¬ 
struction in practical agriculture is the most 
expensive of all educational lines. Of course, as 
many pupils can sit in a room and listen to a 
lecture on agriculture as in any other branch, 
but experience soon taught us that the lecture 
system could not be followed to any great extent 
in giving agricultural instruction. Lectures for 
a day or two to farmers from the institute plat¬ 
form or at other farmers’ gatherings, are all 
right, but it is worse than folly to bring young 
farmers together for several months’ instruction, 
and expect to have them sit and listen day after 
day to nothing but lectures. What these young 
men want, and must have, is a course of instruc¬ 
tion which enables them to use their eyes and 
often their hands as well as their minds, for 
farming is a handicraft to quite a measure. 
Take the great line of animal husbandry, for 
example. Four instructors are required in this 
one branch. Lectures are given, of course, upon 
the origin of the breeds and their characteristics; 
also upon the feeds they require, as well as dis¬ 
eases and treatment thereof. To stop here or to 
use ouly pictures and illustrations additional, 
would be to fall far short of the needs of our 
pupils; they must study the living animals. The 
minute we come to a study of the animal, a 
marked change in requirements of instruction is 
observed. Experience shows that the only prac¬ 
tical way to teach the points of the animal, is for 
the instructor to have grouped about the object 
not more than a dozen or fifteen pupils, and he 
must hold the attention of these in a way not 
possible in lecture work. It will not do for the 
pupil to stand more than a few feet from the ani¬ 
mal. Division of the class into small sections 
necessitates more teachers. Then there must be 
many animals presented for study, for much is 
learned by comparison, and nothing but the 
living creatures will illustrate the differences. 
Farm animals call for daily feed and care; then, 
too, after a few years they pass away, necessi¬ 
tating other representatives. All this means ex¬ 
pense, heavy expense, not only for teachers, but 
for objects of illustration. 
Take another line of instruction. Our first year 
short course students devote a couple of hours 
each day to the study of plant life. So far as the 
lectures are concerned, one person can give in¬ 
struction to a whole class, but as soon as the 
class passes to the laboratory and begins work 
with seed germinators, microscopes, etc., study¬ 
ing the living plants themselves, three instruc¬ 
tors are required. In grafting and budding, a 
still greater division of the class is required, for 
without close supervision, clumsy work is seen 
and little progress made. To give some idea of 
the success we have attained in the lines just 
named, let me say that fair managers have come 
to appreciate our instruction in stock judging, 
and during the fall of 1896, we were called on to 
furnish live stock judges from among our students 
for 36 Wisconsin fairs, while some acted as judges 
in other States. The work in root grafting is so 
well done that we are able to sell the students’ 
work with root grafts to nurserymen, who have 
found by experience thet they can get good nur¬ 
sery stock from material turned out at the horti¬ 
cultural department. 
I have gone over only two lines of instruction, 
but they are illustrative of what occurs every¬ 
where in this work. It is very difficult to get 
educators in other lines to see n ud appreciate 
these facts, and legislators are si >w likewise in 
learning that the necessities of an agricultural 
college are many and the expenses really very 
heavy. If one wishes to choose the line of edu¬ 
cation least expensive, let him take the languages 
or mathematics, for here a few books, a com¬ 
fortable room, a blackboard and a few maps, 
with a good teacher, are about all that are re¬ 
quired. To teach agriculture the wrong way 
needs only about the same equipment. To teach 
it rightly means a farm with fields and numerous 
tools, means barns filled with representatives of 
the best breeds of live stock, means greenhouses 
filled with growing plants, means laboratories 
with varied and expensive equipment, and above 
all teachers that combine not only knowledge 
concerning agricultural matters, but wisdom in 
relation to these great subjects, and, moreover, 
a goodly number of them in proportion to pupils 
taught. To-day, agricultural education is strug¬ 
gling for recognition, and losing more than can 
be measured, because not only legislators and 
the heads of institutions, but even instructors 
themselves fail to appreciate the cost of equip¬ 
ment for extended and proper instruction. Peo¬ 
ple have not yet come to understand that prop¬ 
erly to teach a young farmer concerning his busi¬ 
ness, we must have a combination of teachers 
and material the most expensive of any line of 
educational effort. w. a. henry. 
Dean College of Agriculture, Madison, Wis. 
INDIANA HOR T/CUL TUR/S TS 
State full cream, common to fair. 7 ® 8% 
8mall, colored, fancy.10M@— 
Small, white, fancy.10 @10% 
Small, good to choice. 9 @994 
Small, common to fair. 7 @ 8% 
Light skims, small, colored, choice. 8 @ 8% 
Light skims, large, choice. 794@ 8 
Part skims, good to prime . 5%@ 7 
Part skims, common to fair. 3%@ 494 
Full skims. 2%® 3 
EGGS. 
Near-by,new laid,fancy, selected,per doz 24 @ — 
State, fresh gathered, average best. 21 @ 22 
Penn., country marks, average best. 22 ® 23 
State and Penn., fair to good. 20 @ 21 
Western, northerly sections, fancy. 21 @ — 
Western, fair to good. 20 ® 20% 
Western refrigerator, prime, early pkd. 17 ® 11% 
Western refrigerator, fair to good. 16 ® 17 
Western limed, choice . 16 @ 16 
Western dirties, per 30-doz case.3 70 @4 20 
Western checks, per 30-doz case.3 50 @3 70 
FRUITS—GREEN 
The 36th annual meeting of this society was 
held at Indianapolis, December 1, 2 and 3. With 
an annual appropriation from the State of $1,000, 
they show up a good, healthy financial condition, 
having several hundred dollars of surplus funds 
in their treasury, after paying current expenses 
and publishing a handsome annual report. About 
$200 are spent each year to import speakers, or, 
rather, practical and successful horticulturists 
and experimenters, who are strictly up to date in 
their several specialties. This year, there were 
present from abroad, Mr. S. D. Willard, of Gen¬ 
eva, N. Y.; Prof. Van Deman, of Virginia, and 
Prof. Green, of the Ohio Experiment Station. 
Good talent from abroad always enlarges the 
attendance at such meetings, and the many prac¬ 
tical hints dropped by home workers by this 
means, have a broader field in which to take root 
and spread. 
I gleaned many important facts from the papers 
read at this meeting, and the discussions that 
followed. Among other things, I learned that 
the southern part of the State is well adapted to 
frxxit growing, and this industry is being devel¬ 
oped rapidly. In the counties bordering along 
the Ohio River, the soil and climate are peculiarly 
and specially adapted to apple culture, and large 
areas are being planted to this fruit. Upon the 
tops of the river knolls, peaches are profitable, 
and very large orchards are being cultivated. 
Upon the flat, thin lands, small fruits are being 
cultivated, and have proved to be much more 
profitable than grain crops. Much more atten¬ 
tion is being paid to fertilizing orchards and the 
thinning of fruits, than has heretofore been the 
custom. I learned that the most successful or- 
chardists used from 600 to 1,000 pounds of fertil¬ 
izer annually on their orchard lands, whether it 
was a fruit year or not. Some small fruit growers 
use two tons of fertilizer on strawberries. In 
using this amount, several applications of the 
fertilizer are made during the season. Indiana 
hoi'ticulturists have learned that it pays only to 
produce the very best, and no labor or means are 
spared to give fruits the very best cultivation and 
fertilization possible. 
I was pleased to see that the advantages of co¬ 
operation were being appreciated in the organi¬ 
zation at this meeting of a fruit growers’ union. 
This union is to take in the whole State, and the 
aim is to obtain the very best market for all 
kinds of fruits in their season, and secure the 
most reasonable rates of transportation possible. 
This union was formed as a State branch of the 
Amei’ican Fruit Growers’ Union, which has for 
its officers and managers leading fruit growers 
from different parts of the whole country. As 
matters were managed in the past, the grower 
had no means of ascertaining where his best 
market was for his products, and in many in¬ 
stances, was at the mercy of the commission 
man. Those who go into this union will be regu¬ 
larly advised when they can find the best sale for 
their surplus, and shipments can then be made 
direct to such points, saving considerably in 
freights as well as securing the best price. If 
growers continue to manage this union as they 
have started out, and do not allow it to drift into 
the hands of schemers, there is no doubt that it 
will be a benefit to all who give it their support 
and encouragement. Everybody else is combin¬ 
ing for mutual interests, and why not the fruit 
grower ? I learned from one of the managers of 
the American Union that they had just succeeded 
in getting the rate on apples from Chicago or 
New York to Kansas City lowered from 27 to 20 
cents, in order to enable New York growers to 
reach cold storage houses and await future ad¬ 
vances. Wherever there is concert of action 
among fruit growers and shippers, they can get 
anything reasonable they ask for from the rail¬ 
roads of the country. w. w. s. 
MARKETS. 
Saturday, December 12, 1896. 
BUTTER—NEW. 
Dreamery, Western, extras . 21%®— 
Western, firsts.22 @23% 
Western, seoonds.19 @21 
Western, thirds.15 @17 
State, fancy.23 @23% 
Common to prime.15 @22 
State dairy, half-firkin tubs, fancy.20 @— 
Firsts.16 @18 
Seoonds.13 @14 
Welsh tubs, fancy.18%@19% 
Welsh tabs, firsts.13 @17 
Welsh tabs, seconds.13 @— 
Tabs, thirds.11 @12 
Western imitation oreamery, firsts.14 @16 
Beconds. 11 @12 
Western dairy, firsts.12 @13 
Seoonds.9 @10 
Thirds. 8 @ 8 % 
Factory, fancy.11%@12 
Factory, firsts. 9 @11 
Factory, seconds. 8 %@ 9 
Factory, thirds. 7 @ 8 
Rolls, fresh.10 @15 
Old batter. 5 @8 
CHEESE—NEW. 
8 tate fall cream, large, Sept., colored, fancy.10%@10% 
White, fancy.10%@10% 
Choice. 994@10 
Good to prime. 9 @ 9% 
Apples, Baldwin, per bbl.1 C0@1 25 
Fall Pippin, per bbl. —@ — 
Greening, per bbl.1 25@ — 
King, per bbl .1 00@1 62 
N. Spy, per bbl. 75® 1 26 
Pound Sweet, per bbl.1 00@1 2b 
Lady App.es, per keg.1 60@2 CO 
Nearby, open heads and common, ner bbl 50@ 70 
Cranberries, Cape Cod, extra large, per bbl.5 50@6 60 
Fancy, per bbl..-.5 00@5 60 
Good to prime, per bbl.3 50@4 50 
Defective, per bbl.2 00@3 00 
Per crate.1 25@1 37 
Jersey, per crate .1 26@1 60 
Grapes, West'n N.Y., Catawba, per small bkt. 8@ 11 
West'n N. Y., Concoid, per small basket. 7%@ 9 
Wine grapes, black in bulk, per lb. 1%@ 194 
Wine grapes, white, In bulk, per lb. —@ — 
Wine grapes, red, In bulk, per lb. 1%@ 2 
Pears, Clairgeau, per bbl.3 0o@4 00 
Duchess, per bbl.2 00@3 CO 
Anjou, per bbl.2 60@3 75 
Vicar, per bbl. —@ — 
Swan’s Orange, per bbl. —@ — 
Keiffer, per bbl.2 60@3 50 
Lawrence, per bbl.2 60@3 50 
Nearby cooking, per bbl. —@ — 
Oranges, Florida, per box.2 50@4 00 
GAME. 
Qnall. choice, large, per doz.1 50@1 75 
Small, per doz. 50@1 00 
Woodcock, average, per pair. 75@1 00 
Partridges, nearby, per pair. . 90@1 00 
Western, undrawn, prime, per pair. 75@ 80 
Western, drawn, prime, per pair. 60@ 60 
Grouse. Western, prime, per pair.1 25@1 40 
Grouse and partridges, inferior, per pair ... 25@ 40 
English snipe, choice, per doz.1 75@2 25 
Plover, golden, choice, per doz.2 00@2 50 
Rabbits, per pair. 18® 22 
Wild ducks, canvas, choice heavy, per pair.3 00@3 50 
Red heads, per pair.2 G0@2 25 
Mallards, per pair. 40@ 85 
Blue wing, teal, per pair. 40® 50 
Teal, green wing, per pair. 25® 30 
Common, per pair. 20@ 25 
Venison, per lb. 17@ 18 
Whole deer, per lb. 10@ 12 
GRASS 8EKD. 
Clover, per 100 lbs. 6 50® 9 00 
Timothy. 2 85@ 3 75 
HAY AND STRAW. 
Hay, No. 1 new Timothy, per 100 lbs.75 @— 
No. 2.70 @- 
No. 3.60 @65 
Shipping.55 @60 
Clover, mixed.62%@65 
Clover.50 @60 
Salt.45 @60 
Straw, No. 1, long rye.90 @95 
No. 2.80 @85 
Short rye.60 @70 
Tangled rye .60 @60 
Oat.35 @40 
Wheat.— @— 
MEATS—DRESSED. 
Veals, country dressed, prime, per lb.... 
Fair to good, per lb. 
Com. to med., per lb. 
Small, per lb. 
Buttermilks. 
Grassers. 
Pork, country dressed, 10 to 25 lbs., per lb 
40 to 60 lbs., per lb . 
60 to 80 lbs., per lb. 
80 to 120 lbs , per lb. 
125 lbs and up, per lb. 
NUTS. 
Peanuts, Va., h. p., fancy, per lb. 
H. p., extra, per lb. 
8helled, No. 1, per lb. 
No. 2, per lb. . 
Spanish, shelled, new. No. 1, per lb .. 
Southern, per bushel of 60 lbs_ 
Hlckorynuts, new, per bushel of 50 lbs. .1 75 
8 @ 
8 % 
7 @ 
7% 
5%@ 
0% 
4 ® 
5 
5 @ 
6 
4 @ 
5 
7 a 
9 
6 @ 
— 
5%@ 
6 
5 @ 
5% 
394@ 
494 
394® 
4 
2 %@ 
3 
394@ 
4% 
3 @ 
— 
5 
694 
8 @ 
10 
— @ 
— 
— @ 
— 
@2 25 
POTATOES. 
Long Island, in bulk, per bbl.1 25@1 37 
Maine, per sack.1 00@1 10 
State, per 180 lbs. 75@1 00 
Jersey, per sack. . 90@1 00 
Jersey, per bbl. 90@1 12 
Sweets. Va., yellow, per bbl.1 00@1 25 
Jersey, yellow, per d. h. bbl.1 26@1 50 
Vineland, per bbl.1 60@2 00 
POULTRY—LIVE. 
Spring chickens, per lb. 6 @ 7 
Fowls, local, per lb. 8 @ 9 
Western, per lb. 8 @ 9 
Southern, per lb. 7 @ 1% 
Roosters, old, per lb. 4%@ 5 
Turkeys, mixed, per lb. 8 @ 9 
Ducks, local, per pair. 70 @ 90 
Western, per pair. 65 @ 80 
Southern, per pair. 50 @ 65 
Geese, local, per pair.1 25 @1 75 
Western, per pair.1 00 @1 50 
Southern, per pair.100 @ — 
Pigeons, old, per pair. 20 @ 25 
Young, per pair. 15 @ — 
DRESSED POULTRY. 
Turkeys, old, mixed weights, per lb. 10 @ — 
Young, dry-picked, per lb. 10%@ 11 
Young, scalded, per lb. 10 @ — 
Young. Inferior, per lb . 7 @ 10 
Dry packed, fancy, per lb. 13 @ 14 
Dry packed. Western fancy, per lb.. 12 @ 13 
Spring entekens, Phil., selected, per lb... 12 @ 13 
Philadelphia, poor to good, per lb... 9 @ 11 
Western, dry-picked, good to choice. 8 @ 8% 
Western, dry-picked, inferior. 6 @ 8 
Western, scalded, choice, large. 8 @ 8% 
Fowls, Western, dry-picked, choice. 7%@ 8 
Scalded, choice, ner lb. 7 @ 7% 
Old cocks, per lb. 5 @ — 
Spring ducks, Eastern, per lb. — © — 
The records show this Threshing-machine to be the 
easiest running and the greatest grain saver of all. 
Requires ouly about 1 mile* travel per hour. For full 
description, and for the best Straw-preserving Rye- 
threshers, Clover-hullers, Fanning-mills, Feed-mills, Cir¬ 
cular-saw Machines, Land-rollers and Dog-powers, send 
for Fearless Catalogue. For Fodder-cutters, Car¬ 
riers and Drag-saw Machines, and for information show¬ 
ing “ Why Ensilage Fays,” send for Ensilage Cata¬ 
logue. Address. M1NAUB HARDER. CoblesklU, N Y, 
8prlng ducks, L. I., per lb. — @ — 
Spring ducks, Penn, and Va., per lb. — @ — 
Spring ducks. Western, per lb. 10 @ 11 
Geese. Maryland, per lb. 10 @ 11 
Old ducks, Western, per lb. 7 @ 8 
Spring geese, Western, per lb. 9 @ 10 
Squabs, tame, white, per doz.2 00 @2 25 
Mixed lots, per doz.1 60 @1 75 
Dark and poor, per doz.1 25 @ — 
VEGETABLES. 
Cabbage, L. I., per 100.2 00@3 00 
Red, per 100 .2 50@3 60 
Red, per bbl. b5@ 65 
Carrots, per bbl. 60® 75 
Cauliflower, L. I. and Jersey, per bbl.1 00@2 50 
Fancy, per bbl.3 00@3 50 
Celery, fancy, large, per doz. 40@ 60 
Average, prime, per doz. 20@ 30 
8mall, per doz. 8® 15 
Local, per doz fiat bunches . 50® 75 
Cucumbers. Florida, per crate. 50@1 25 
Egg plant, Florida, per %-bbl box. 60®1 00 
Florida, per bbl.1 00@2 00 
Lettuce, Boston, per doz. 20® 35 
Loeal. per bbl. —@ — 
Norfolk, per bbl basket. 60@1 00 
Charleston, per basket. —® — 
Florida, per %-bbl basket.1 O0@2 00 
New Orleans, per bbl .4 00@5 00 
Onions, Eastern white, per bbl.3 00@5 00 
Eastern red, per bbl.2 26@2 50 
Eastern yellow, per bbl.1 75@2 00 
Orange County white, per bag .2 00@4 00 
Orange County yellow, per bag.1 25@1 76 
Orange County, red, per bag.1 25@2 25 
Jersey and Long Island yellow, per bbl..l 25@2 00 
Jersey and Long Island red, per bbl ....1 50@2 25 
Jersey and Long Island white, per bbl...2 00®4 00 
State and Western yellow, per bbl.1 75@2 00 
State and Western red, per bbl. —® — 
Pumpkins, per 110.8 00®12 00 
SplDaoh. Norfolk, per bbl. 25® 40 
Baltimore, per bbl. —@ — 
Squash. Marrow, per bbl.1 00@1 26 
Hubbard, per bbl.1 00@ — 
String beans, Norfolk, per half bbl basket.. —@ — 
Charleston, green, per bushel basket.... —@ — 
Charleston, wax, per bushel basket. —@ — 
Florida, per bushel basket.1 26@2 00 
Florida, freight, per crate. 60@1 50 
Turnips, Jersey and L. 1. Russia, per bbl.... 50® 60 
Canada, per bbl. 60® 65 
MILK AND CREAM. 
The total dally supply has been 21,200 cans of milk, 
170 cans of condensed milk and 391 cans of cream. 
The average price paid for the surplus on the plat¬ 
forms has been {1.45 a can of 40 quarts. 
It will cost you only 
ONE CENT 
to send your address on a pos 
tal and receive free by return 
mail copy of THE OHIO FARMER, 
clearly the leader of the Agri¬ 
cultural Press of America. 
‘Up to date” in every way. 
Helps make the farm pay. 20 
pages every week in year. All 
original matter Offers great 
bargains with other papers. 
address THE OHIO FARMER, Cleveland, O. 
POULTRY SUPPLIES 
Send for 1897 Catalogue, Free. New York State 
Agency for Prairie State Incubators. 
Excelsior Wire and Poultry Supply Co., 
28 Vesey Street, New York City. 
How to Make a Fortune! 
CONTINUAL AND CHEAP MUSHROOM BEDS 
BEARING AT ANY SEASON. 
Own supply combined with a profitable steady in¬ 
come. Little work, easy to handle. Reasonable 
rates for making up beds. Circulars and estimates 
free of charge to all countries. E C. FISCHER, 
Civil Engineer. Specialist and Establlsher, 75 East 
Fourth Street, New York City. 
GARNER & CO., 
Produce Commission Merchants, 
51 LITTLE 12th ST., NEW YORK. 
We have an extra demand for CHOICE CREAMERY 
BUTTER, CHOICE CHEESE, FANCY LEGHORN 
EGGS, and FINE DRESSED TURKEYS, GEESE and 
DUCKS. Shipping Cards and Stencils on application. 
Reference: Gansevoort Bank. 
WM. H. COHEN & CO., 
Commission Merchants, 
229 and 231 Washington Street, New York. 
OUR SPECIALTIES: 
Game, 
1 Poultry, 
Mushrooms, 
Furs, 
1 Calves, 
Nuts, 
Ginseng, 
| Hothouse Lambs, | 
Live Quail. 
JEIaLIFFE, WRIGHT & CO.. 
Produce Commission Merchants, 
BUTTER, EGGS AND POULTRY, 
284 Washington Street, New York. 
Dressed Meats: 22, 24 and 26 Grace Avenue West 
Washington Market. 
Live Stock: Union Stock Yards, foot of West 60th St 
Refer to Irving National Bank. 
Established 1876. 
GEO. P. HAMMOND & CO., 
Commission Merchants and Dealers In all kinds of 
COUNTRY PRODUCE, Butter, Eggs, Cheese, 
Poultry. Foreign and Domestic Fruits. Consignments 
solicited. 31 & 36 Little 12th St., New York. 
SOMERS, BROTHER & CO. 
PITTSBURGH, PA. 
Fruits and Produce 
Receive and sell, in car load lots and smaller 
quantit i es, all Products of the Orchard, Garden, 
Sairy, Hennery and Farm. 
Bend for our little book, "Suggestions to Shippers,” Market 
Reports, Special References, Stencils, etc., ail free. 
inquiries and Correspondence i n vited* 
