The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1888-01-19
AGRICULTURE AT THE UNIVER-
SITY OF TENNESSEE.

Ia the OIL Tie Oul-
versity of Tennessee, the Agricultural
Department receive a goodly share of
attention as it is prepared to make
this in the future, a power for good
among the farmers of the State.
The instruction in agriculture is to
be thoroughly practical, as well as
scientific The classes are given lee
lures every week, and in addition to
this are required to do practical farm
work of some kind, and as instructive
in character as possible. The students
are taken to the farm and put at work.
under the guidance of the professorin
charge. For this labor no pay is given
In money. When material is available
the class is taken out and given object
lessoas on the farm. In every way at
our command an attempt is made to
interest the students in the work in
hand. Specimens are used in the
classroom to illustrate lectures and at
the proper time the classes will be
taken out to visit farms in this vicin-
ity, to take object lessons in good
farming.
In the agricultural building on the
upper floor we have a large hall that
is to be an agricultural museum, in
which will be placed a collection of
the product of Tennessee as intimate
ly related to her agriculture. At the
present time this room is about empty.
We mean to make this museum a
credit to the State and the University,
and in aid of that plan | wish to call
upon all the farmers of Tennessee to
help us by sending specimen of varie-
ties of grain both in the seed and
shock different kinds of soils, ETC., and
anything they may have that would be
suited to an agricultural museum. The
benefits to be derived from such a
museum are at least two fold first we
have therein available specimens with
which to illustrate lectures for the
benefit of the classes in agriculture ;
and second, we have a collection espe-
cially for the people of Tennessee
wherein they may study her agricul-
tural products. The development of
this museum may be greatly aided by
interested parties sending us speci-
mems.
Close by the agricultural hall is a
greenhouse, which is used for growing
cut flowers, plants for the classroom
lectures, and for ornamenting the
University grounds. This is being
rapidly put into good condition. AS
means will permit, rare and interest
ing plants will be added to the collec-
ton we now have, so that the green
house will be a valuable adjunct to
the horticultural and botanical work.
Another object is also kept in view in
having this house, and that is growing
flowers and plants for sale. Not only
is the public thereby attracted to the
University but the propagating of
flowers and plants for market carried
on in a practical manner close by the
classroom cannot but be of service to
the students interested in such things.
The University farm, comprising
over $50 acres is to be developed in a
practical business-like manner, with
the end in view of paying it's own ex-
penses, if possible. At the same time
it will be made educational in being
as nearly as possible a model farm as
our circumstances will permit. AT
present we have a herd of jersey cat.
tie with some natives, Short-horns,
Holstein. Friesians, etc This herd is
30 be reduced to two standard breeds,
for which we can hope to derive the
most income, and at the same time
teach the farmers of the State valuable
lessons in good stock breeding. We
also propose to keep one or two of the
most profitable breeds of pigs. In
the summer the standard farm crops
will be raised, but in addition to this,
certain other ones will be grown ex.
p~erimentally.
And that leads me to say that we
have in connection with the Univer.
sity a State Agricultural Experiment
Station. We have now feeding ex.
periments with steers and mich COWS
in progress, and much experimental
work will be done in the future. both
on the farm and at the University.
At the latter place, on the southern
slope of the grounds, a piece of land
has been set aside for an experimental
orchard and garden. Already 26O
varieties of fruits have been planted
out, and next summer a large variety