Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 69, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 January 1909 — A VISIT TO PURDUE. [ARTICLE]

A VISIT TO PURDUE.

I arrived at Purdue, Jan. 11, and took the Farmer’s Short Course, lasting one week. In this short course over seven hundred had enrolled before Thursday evening. People from the surrounding country came for this course. Some of the best lecturers were present and I think everyone was able to profit by it. , Prof. Calvin, a professor of the nuiversity gave a very good lecture on domestic science. She gave a good method for making a fireless cooker. Take a boy—any size which suits the maker and whose boards are so elosely put together that as little as possible of the heat will escape. First the box is lined with asbestos paper, then a layer of mineral wool about four inches thick is put in, and then the box is again lined with the asbestos paper. The cover is made in the same manner. A heated soap-stone is put in the bottom. The manner in which to cook in this oven is first to heat the food which is to be cooked to the boiling point, it should then be put on or by the side of the stone. Most food requires six hours to cook in this oven.

Very interesting things were to be seen in the Diary Laboratory, about sixteen churns were distributed about a room and any person who desired to was allowed to churn. Many helpful hints were given while the "churning was done. A large cylindrical churn, which was run by steam was kept in a separate room. A continual flow of cold water was kept beneath this churn, while It was in use, to keep the cream at an even temperature. In the evenings the lectures were given in the Fowler Hall. Twentysix thousand dollars was donated by Eliza Fowler for the building of this beautiful hall. Corn judging was held in the Agriculture Building. Each person was given a chance to score the corn, then the judge’s score was