The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-02-04
A REVELATION At
A. AND NJ. COLLEGE
Fine Work of the Biological
Club Described.
PRACTICAL EXPERIMENTS
Boys Gaming Scientific knowledge to
be Used in Every Day Life.
A GREAT F0UIOaF TON BENG LAID
Personal Observations Of Interesting Facts Of a
Scientific or Economic Nature Rela'iog
to Agriculture Told in > Clear,
Strong, Plain WAY.

Strong, Plain Way.
II have seen something this week
said one of North Cardinals most emf
nent men, (which is a great revelation
to me, and which gives me much hope
concerning the future of our State. 1t is
the instruction in agriculture and rural
science at the a. and NJ. College. Last
Thursday night, in compan with sew
eral other gentlemen, l went out to at
tend a meeting of a students club, or
/ saw and heard then. and what / learn
from the officers of the institution con-
corning instruction in agriculture at the
college, satisfies me beyond a doubt
that a great foundation is being laid
there for agricultural education and the
training of farmers who viii some day
make our old fields as rich as gardens.
The young men were in
Horticulture Hall. A member of the
senior class was president and a fresh
man was secretary. About thirty mem
bers Of the club and about a dozen visi-
tors constituted the company. The
president called the meeting to order
promptly, and then hat the
first thing on the rogran was Person
al Observations 1t seems that each
member Of the club is expected to per-
sOnally observe some interesting fact, or
series of facts, OF a scientific or ecOnom-
ic nature relating TO agriculture, and to
tell the club what he has seen; a sort
of experience meeting -Four different
speakers gave the club an account of
their personal observations. One told
/ of a minnie ljrtla anima1rDlp called the
CycloDs, which he had been studying
under the microscope. Another had been
experimenting with willow tWigS. try
ing to root a wig by burying the small
end instead of the large. SoOn a sprOut
put forth from the large end, and many
roots from the small end, but thus ap-
p%arently sending the sap and nourish-
ment the reverse direction from ma
lures: presently these roots all died,
and other roots put out beyond the
sprOut. from the large end, pushing
down through the air into the ground.
thus showing that the sap would not
run the wrong way. Another observer
had been testing the influence of various
kinds of bacteria on milk.
Each of these speakers seemed thor
oughly familiar with his subject and
deeply interested in it. He spoke off
hand, without notes, and in a clear, sim
pie and natural anner. Evidently his
eyes had been open TO see and to study
nature, and his mind had become quick,
active and alert. There was no ranting
or eesticulating, no effort at oratory or
defamation. but a plain, strong. clear
statement of facts in q perfectly easy
and natural way. Some OF the speakers
We're interrupted by questions, which
they answered. The audience were
- 1 JrS-r
or gaping or otherwise engaged than in
listening. Every performance was spon-
taneoUs. enthusiastic, clearcut and
strong. | was simply amazed. 1t was
such a contrast to the usual literary SO
ciety performance in our schools and
colleges.
After the personal observation fea-
ture came 4 most interesting talk on
mosquitoes. The dissemination of typhoid
fever and of yellow fever by mosquitoes
was explained; and the various expert
Inents which have been performed III this
country, in Italy, in Cuba and else
where along this line We're related. Then
came a very interesting paper on eVo-
luton, With arguments derived from
fossil remains, illustrated by black
board drawings which dealt with the
evolution of the horses hoof and the
horns of the deer. Then followed Obser-
v~ations of chrysantheInum rust, by the
president of the club. After this came
one of the most delightful talks of the
evening, Oh autulnnal celebrations. by a
freshman, who told of the changes in
color Of the oaks, naples, gums, ashes
and other trees, evincing large acquaint-
ance and exact knowledge as we'll as
almost affectionate interest. The last
paper of the evening dealt with spar
rows in relation to agriculture, by the
secretary. a bright young fellow. who
told of the many ways in which the ma
tive American sparrow is helpful to the
farm and how the English sparrow is cor
~respOndingiy harmful.
All together there We're ten different
speeches and papers, including one not
mentioned, by Prof. Stevens, who sat
back in the audience, apparently an in
significant member of the club. These
ten performances, by as many different
men, occupied exactly fifty minutes. l
was amazed, when | looked at my watch
and recalled so many things said and
exhibited in so short a time. / was still
more amazed and greatly delighted at
the. spirit ana the intelligence displayed
by the young men. President Winston
informed me that they had been engaged
in this work only since last September.
that they go out regularly with Prof.
Stevens into the woods and fields 10 OBJ
serve and study nature, that he has taken
part himself in some of these excursions
and found them most delightful. That
the young men study in the Biological
Laboratory with microscope what they
cannot see With the eye, that the whole
of this study is carefully systematized
ard thoroughly scientific, that former
meetings Of The club which he had at