Middletown transcript., 1916-01-01
CoLlfaE FARM A. SUCCESS

ment Farm during the past few years,
and especially the year just closing, has
made the farm valuable asset to the
state, as it has been the means of at
tracing national attention to Delaware
on more than one occasion. Few, if
any, states have gotten the publicity
from their experiment farms that Della
ware has this year,
The farm is not only valuable piece
of property in itself, but the college
authorities have been able to demon
strate the possibilities of straight agri-
culture more forceful than has been
generally accepted by the average citi-
zen.
The farm of 212 acres cost the state
to purchase 500, 600, and was turned over
to the college April Z, 1907. No ap-
preparation was made by the state for
equipment when the land was purchased
and the small equipment necessary to
start off was taken from the Federal
funds received by the college. Since its
purchase the state has spent 5000
more on buildings and for remodelling
those that were already on the farm.
The college has from other appropria-
tons and from the money obtained from
sales of farm products be able to stock
the farm with pure bred horses, cattle
and swine and to make number of i'm
provements in the way of drainage and
orchards. 1t is now contended that by
a conservative estimate the state could
realize dollar for dollar what it has in
vested in the farm.
From the very beginning the farm
has had one or more especially attrac-
tive features of unusual interest not
only to the farmers of Delaware, bu'
those of adjoining states as well, and
which have drawn thousands of visitors
to the farm each year.
One of the first of these attractions
that was out OF the ordinary was the
Guernsey bull, King Beta, that actually
gave milk. Hundreds of people who
heard about this animal came TO the
farm to find out the joke, but were
greatly interested when they saw milk
drawn from a bull. This fact received
vide publicity, not only in the dairy
publications, but also in the daily news
papers throughout the country. On ac-
count Of his superior individuality and
excellent breeding, this bull was sold
! for $500 to 90 into one of the best known
Guernsey herds in the East. Unfor-
tunately the bull shortly afterwards de-
veloped '1umpy jaw" and had to be
I titss destroyed troy I'd.
The next thing out of the ordinary
that was found at the college farm was
the Holsteln COW, Maud H. DDS Lass,
that produced over ten tons Of milk in
one year. While this amount is not es-
pecially unusual in the dairy districts Of
New York and Wisconsin, it was de-
eidedly out of the ordinary in Delaware
; and many farmers interested in dairy
cattle came long distances to see this
COW. Not only was her milk production
out of the ordinary for this section, but
she was of unusal size, weighing over
LOO pounds.
1t is not generally known that he
highest priced living pig was bred and
raised at the Delaware College farm
and was sold this year. This pig was
an attractive beast and when between
six months and year old was priced at
50. So He was used extensively in the
college drove and at the age of four
years was sold for $1O0 and afterwards
resold for 81, 600. The name of this
thoroughbred hog was Duke of Sussex
9th and he Is now owned by one of the
most" progressives of Berkshires in
Pennsylvania.
The climax, however, as to records
was reached on November of this year
when it was found that the college farm
had developed a real worlds champion.
This was the wonderful Lady Eglantine,
a White Leghorn hen, owned by A. A.
Christian, of Greensborough, Md,
which made in a year in the Inter-
national Egg Laying Competition
at the college farm the worlds record
of 314 eggs. 1t will probably be many
years before another hen will be able to
combine so many favorable circum-
stances and break this record. This
record attracted not only the attention
of thousands of persons in this country,
but also international attention to Della
ware.
The peach orchard has also from its
very start been source of delight to
visitors and those interested in peach
culture. Four successive crops have
been produ ced from this orchard and it
is still in its prime and apparently good
tor many more crops. The peach or
chard has not only been source of de-
light to thousands of visitors, but has
demonstrated probably more than any
other orchard in the state that it is
possible for the peach industry to come
back in Delaware.
While the farm has had these rather