Celebrating 100 Years of Horticultural Science

In the early part of the last century, the “Better Farming Train” was a unique education and training initiative, a collaboration between William Motherwell of the Ministry of Agriculture (which provided the funding) and Dr. William Rutherford, Dean of Agriculture at the University of Saskatchewan. Trains were a practical way to reach out to farm families who could ill afford the time and expense of travel to the university to learn about advances in agriculture and horticulture.

Every summer between 1914 and 1920, trains pulling between 13 and 17 specially configured cars exhibited the latest in agricultural products, equipment and practices. One car was dedicated to the care of infants and small children, staffed by “competent nurses” so that farm women could fully participate in the day’s activities. Special cars were set up as theatres where faculty from the University’s Department of Extension gave lectures using “lantern slides”. Topics included field husbandry, household science and farm mechanics. Some cars even carried livestock such as horses, cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry.

Visitors to the household science car likely learned about food preservation techniques, while another car dedicated to “Tree Planting” gave instruction for planting farm shelterbelts to reduce soil erosion. The arrival of the Better Farming Train was extremely well attended by farm families eager to better their farms and their livelihoods.

Photo courtesy of University of Saskatchewan, University Archives and Special Collections, Photograph Collection, A-1503, “Better Farming Train - Tree Planting Car” (1921). Courtesy of Gardening of USask Facebook page.