The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1909-02-04

the knowledge rs to the proper curing
and testing of seed corn. This year the
average of Wisconsin No. corn grown
by members scattered in every county
in the state was sixty four bu. Of she'll
ed corn per acre-nearly twice the aver
age yield for all the varieties grown in
the state In 1906 former student of
the college, by applying the principles
! of corn growing to No Z, produced the
yield of 1872 bu. of shelled corn per acre.
Such farming as this in a community is
contagious Other varieties of corn,
barley, oats, and alfalfa are being tested
, and disseminated in the same manner
While we are considering this corn
culture crusade we may note the corn
growing contests inaugurated in this
state by men of the Agricultural College.
Last year school children III twenty-six
counties obtained seed corn free of charge
and grew the corn for competition at
their respective County Fairs. In Dane
County there were 1l65 individual com
petltors between the ages of ten and
eighteen, and more than 800 of these ex
hibited the products of their work at their
County Fair. In Chippewa County, a
poor county for corn, the children were
given an early yellow dent variety call
ed Wisconsin No. 12,-and the success
|, was beyond all expectation. These con
tests are TO be continued for the growing
of other crops and will prove to be II
very practical means Of education.
Altho all of the courses given include
more or less of instruction in dairying,
a special dairy course of twelve weeks is
given every winter. summer dairy
school is maintained, and a course in
Swiss cheese making is given The win
ter dairy course is for workers in cream.
cries and cheese factories, but the sum
mer dairy schoo! is for beginners with
little knowledge of creamery or dairy
work. The dairy school of Wisconsin
Agricultural College was the first dairy
school in the United States. The inven.
ton of the milk tester by one of its staff
is known aud used the world over-the
benefits of the inventions, improved
methods, and the instruction given can
not be estimated ll0 students are en-.
rolled in the present session of the dairy
school.
To aid in the education of butter and
cheese makers thruout the state the
Dairy school holds Il scoring exhibition
each month. Any maker of butter or
cheese may send packages of his product
to the station. Three expert judges eX.
anime each package and score it inde-
pendently. The butter or cheese is sold
to the best advantage, n small fee about
15c) is deducted and checks covering the
net proceeds are sent to the exhibitors.
About 200 packages are tested each
month The score cards are sent to the
individual exhibitors together with let.
ters of advice rs to the defects, their
causes, and remedies. This work aims
to aid in securing uniformity in the pro-
ducts and III improvement in the quail
ty, and will be worth hundreds of thou.
sands of dollars to the dairy interests of
the state.
The courses Of instruction mentioned
thus far are designed for the younger
men, altho any one over twenty one
years is welcome to take, as al adult
special, work that he or she can carry in
any department Of the university. But
to provide for the older men a Famer =
Course is offered For ten days any
farmer over twenty five years of age
may attend, free of charge, lectures and
practical laboratory demonstrations
presented by the best talent in the Ari.
cultural College. Professors in the other
departments of the University give popu-
lar lectures; museums, machine shops,
farm buildings, laboratories, libraries,
etc, are all open FOR the benefit of the
farmers The farmer wife Is provided
for. She may attended the housekeeper .
Conference held under the direction of
the Home Economics Department and
enroll in special and general classes in
cooking, and hear lectures on a wide
range of topics of interest to house
keepers.
A second aim of the Agricultural Col
: lege is to conduct Investigations and tx.
3 periments along lines Of greatest impor.
tance to Wisconsin farmers. Fortunate
ly there is perfect co cooperation between
the state and the federal workers in this
] Experiment Station work Twenty four
| reports and 100 bulletins have been is
1 sued all of which are free to persons re-
siding in the state Is, 600 farmers re
, gularly all material printed. Expert
/. mental work is not limited to the farm
. in connection with the college, bu'
4 trained men are kept almost constantly
r in the field giving direct aid to farmers
helping and directing them in such
f work a. laying out drainage systems
g spraying potatoes and fruit trees, testing
G cattle for tuberculosis, and testing anC
s surveying soil areas Besides this
y hundreds of queries are received auC
e answered by the ditteren, department,
/ concerning all phases Of farm life.
i, Ia A ria, It,,,-.