^ U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. OFIK'K OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS, A. C. TRUE, Director. FAIilRS' INSTITUTES l\ THE UNITED STATES. BY JOTTTsT HAMILT01Sr>;:^0?> WASHINGTON: r;<>\ K i; \ MKNT PRINTIN<; o F F I < ' F. 190-1:. LIST OF PUBLICATIONS OF THE OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS ON FARMERS' INSTITUTES. Bulletin No. 79. Farmers' Institutes: History and Status in the United States and Canada. By L. H. Bailey. Pp. 34. Bulletin No. 110. Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Meeting of the American Asso- ciation of Farmers' Institute Workers, held at Buffalo, N. Y., September 18 and 19, 1901. Edited by A. C. True, D. J. Crosby, and G. C. Creelman. Pp. 55. Bulletin No. 120. Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Meeting of the American Association of Farmers' Institute AVorkers, held at Washington, D. C, June 24, 25, and 26, 1902. Edited by A. C. True and D. J. Crosby for the Office of Experi- ment Stations and G. C. Creelman for the association. Pp. 119. Bulletin No. 135. Legislation Relating to Farmers' Institutes in the United States and the Province of Ontario, Canada. By John Hamilton, farmers' institute specialist. Pp. 53. Bulletin No. 138. Proceeilings of the Eighth Annual Meeting of the American As::u- ciation of Farmers' Institute AVorkers, held at Toronto, Ontario, June 23 to 26,. 1903. Edited by AV. H. Beal for the Office of Experiment Stations and G. C. Creelman for the association. Pp. 119. Circular No. 51. List of State Directors of Farmers' Institutes and Farmera' Insti- tute Lecturers of the United States. By John Hamilton. Pp. 30. Farmers' Institutes in the L^nited States. By D. J. Crosby. Reprint from Annual Report of the Office of Experiment Stations for the year ended June 30, 1902. Pp. 25. Farmers' Institutes in the United States. By John Hamilton. Reprint from Annual Report of the Office of Experiment Stations for the year ended June 30, 1903. Pp. 57. Farmers' Institutes. By John Hamilton. Reprint from Yearbook, Department of Agriculture, 1903. Pp. 10. U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS, A. C. TRUE, Director. FIRIRS' INSTITITES IN THE I'MTED STiTES, BY JOH^ HA:siiLTo:Nr, fjlrmers' i^tsxitttxe speciatisx, WASHINGTON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, 1 1) -i . OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. A. C. True, Ph. D.— Director. E. W. Allen, Ph. D. — Assistant Director and Editor of Experiment Station Record. W. H. Beal — Chief of Editorial Dirision. John Hamilton — Farmers' Institute Specialist. C. E. J oHSSToy— Chief Clerk: EDIT()RL\L ])EPARTMENTS. E. W. Allen, Ph. J)., and H. W. Lawson — Cliemistnj, Dairi/ Farming, and Dainjing. W. H. Beal — Agricultural Physics and Engineering. Walter H. Evans, Ph. D. — Botang and Diseases of Plants. C. F. Langworthy, Ph. D. — Foods and Animal Production. 3. I. Schulte — Field Crops. E. V. AViLCOx, Ph. D. — Entomologg and Veterinary Science. C. B. Smith — Horticulture. D. J. Crosby — Agricultural Institutions. OFFICERS OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF FARMERS' INSTITUTE WORKERS. B. W. KiL.,()KE, of West Raleigh, N. C. 1 'Ice-PresUlent, E. E. Kaufman, of Agricultural College, N. Dak. Secrelary- Treasurer, G. C. Creelman, of Toronto, Canada. Executive Committee, The President and the Secretary-Treasurer, ex officio; George ]\IcKerro\v, of Wisconsin; H. G. Easterly, of Illinois, and J. C. Hardy, of Mississippi. 4 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. U. S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Experiment Stations, Washingtoiu D. C, May 28, 1901^. Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith and to recommend for publication a brief account of farmers' institutes in the United States, their development, relations to other educational institutions and to this Department, and the results they attain. This account is intended primarily for distribution at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in connection with the exhibits of this Office and of the agricultural col- leges and experiment stations. Respectfully, A. C. True, Director. Hon. James Wilson. , Secretary of Agriculture. 5 CONTENTS. Page. Development of the institute 7 Relation of the institute to other educational institutions 9 What the United States Department of Agriculture is doing for the institutes. . 11 What farmers' institutes have done for the farmers of the United States 13 Assisting farmers' boys : 15 Women's institutes 16 The lecture force 16 Farmers' institute statistics 17 FARMERS' INSTITUTES IX THE UNITED STATES. By John Hamilton, Fanners' Institute Specialist, Office of Experiment Stations, U. S. Department of Agriculture. Farmers' institutes, in the sense of their consisting of assemblages of farmers met for the discussion of agricultural topics, extend back as far as the meeting of the Ro3^al Agricultural Societ}^ of England in 1838. In this country perhaps the oldest organization of this kind is found in the Philadelphia Society for the Promotion of Agriculture, organ- ized in Philadelphia in 1785. Later in other States similar agricultural societies and farm clubs adopted in some degree the same methods as these older organizations for the improvement of their members. The New York State board of agriculture in 1842 began a series of winter meetings for farmers. In 1859 the Massachusetts State board of agriculture appointed a committee to "consider and report upon the propriety of institute meetings similar to teachers' institutes.-' In 1861 ''a winter course of lectures for farmers" was instituted in Michigan. Societies in other States provided in rather a desultory wa}^ for courses of lectures upon agricultural topics. It was not, however, until quite recenth^ that an}^ well organized or carefully-planned S3\stem of farmers' institutes has existed. It may be said in general that the farmers' institute work of the United States has developed into its present proportions since 1880, and in most of the States this development has been since 1890 with the remarkable result that institutes are now held in all of the 52 States and Ter- ritories excepting — Arkansas, South Dakota, Wyoming, Alaska, Porto Rico, and Indian Territory — and conducted under the direction of a State official, the State board of agriculture, a special institute board, or by the State agricultural college or agricultural experiment station. DEVELOPMENT OF THE INSTITUTE. The phenomenal growth of the institute during the short period that has elapsed since it came into being is shown bv the reports of the State directors for the year ended June 30, 1902. During that year 3,179 institutes were held. Of these, 1,359 were one da}- meet- 8 ings, 1,637 continued for two days, and 77 were three days and over, the whole comprising 9,570 separate sessions of one-half day each. The attendance reported was 904,654. There were in the employ of the State directors 924 lecturers who delivered addresses in the meet- ings, and about three times as many more who were emplo3^ed by the local managers, approximating 4,000 who gave instruction in the institutes that year. A like increase has taken place in the amount appropriated for institute expenses. The iirst data giving information in this direction were secured by L. H. Bailey of Cornell University, which showed that in 1891 there was expended for institute purposes in the United States $81,213, contributed by twenty-live States. In contrast with this is the amount reported to the Depai'tment of Agriculture for the year ended June 30, 1903. In that year forty-five States and Terri- tories reported appropriations for institute purposes aggregating $187,226; and for the next year Avhich will end June 30, 1904, forty States and Territories have already reported appropriations for insti- tute purposes amounting to $210,975. If the States not yet reporting for 1904 appropriate sums equal to the amount that they expended the previous 3^ear, the aggregate will be ^214,729, or an increase over 1891 of $133,516 in mone}^ and an addition of twentj^-one States and Territories to the number in which institutes were held. No uniform S3^stem of organization has been adopted by the several States. In some, local or count}^ institutes are organized under laws which prescribe their duties and fix their form of organization. In a few States no local boards of institute officers exist, but the State director selects from year to year one or more correspondents in each count}^, and to these the work of advertising the meetings, selecting local committees, renting halls, and making other preliminary arrangements are committed. The directors all recognize the neces- sity for local assistance to relieve them of minor details, and the tend- enc3^ is toward having permanent local bodies, legalh^ constituted, to take charge of the purely local Avork, leaving to the State officers that of providing for the districting of the State, the fixing of dates for institutes, and the supplving of a corps of lecturers for each section, employed and paid by the State directors. In contrast with this centralized system, which generally prevails, there is one State in which, while there are strong local institute soci- eties in all of the counties, there is no central control, and consequently no coordination in work. Each society acts independently of the others. In one other State there is a board of institute directors, elected b}^ the local societies, which has authorit}' to appoint a State director, but the powers of this director are restricted to giving advice. He has no authority' to arrange for meetings or for the dis- tricting of the State, to fix dates of institutes, to provide the itinera- ries of lecturers, or supervise the programmes. In both of these instances, however, the institute officers are coming to feel the need for closer cooperation in their work and are now contemplating changes in their laws that will provide for efficient central control. RELATION OF THE INSTITUTE TO OTHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. The establishing of educational institutions in the interest of agri- culture is the result of the demand of farmers for accurate information in regard to the underlying principles which control in the production of animals and crops. The demand in this country for definite and exact knowledge respecting agriculture did not become pressing so long as the lands were new and original fertilit}^ was abundant and available. It was not until the soil of the Eastern and Southern States began to be exhausted and crops to fail that the country began seri- ously to set about the discover}^ of some means Vj}^ which these glands could be reclaimed, subsequent deterioration prevented, and contin- uous and profitable crops be grown without permanent injury to the soil. In the effort to meet this condition of affairs, the Congress of the United States in 1862 provided for the establishment of colleges whose leading object ' ^ shall be to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts.'' After the establishment of these colleges it was some years before those responsible for their con- trol were able to formulate a course of study which would meet the requirements of the country, or were able to secure the kind of teach- ers competent to impart the information needed. The instructors in these colleges also soon found that there was comparatively little reli- able information to be had in what is known as agricultural science, or the sciences in their relation to agriculture. In order to supply the needs of these institutions and of the public for new and more reliable data respecting agricultural operations, Congress in 1887 passed what is known as the Hatch Act, which pro- vides for the erection and support of agricultural experiment stations in the several States and Territories, for scientific research and exper- imentation in agriculture. Since their creation and through the work of these stations the stock of agricultural knowledge has been greatly enlarged and is being increased more rapidly each 3-ear. The United States Department of Agriculture has also been engaged in searching for information and has in its service 4,200 men and women whose work is almost wholl}^ in the direction of securing information that will be of value to agriculture. One thousand nine hundred of this number are either scientists or scientific assistants who have been specially trained for the particular work in which they are engaged. The results of the research work of officers of the Department are embodied in its yearly publications of reports and bulletins. For the year ended June 30, 1903, there were 938 different documents printed 10 by the Division of Publications, comprising tl:5,000 pages of printed matter. If these pages Avere bound in book form, there would be fortv- iive volumes of a thousand pages each. Eleven million, six hundred and ninet3^-eight thousand copies of these documents were printed for distribution that year. The 3'ear before, 757 publications w-ere issued and the number of copies aggregated 10,586,580. The work that has been accomplished by the experiment stations since the date of their establishment in 1888, and b}' the United States Department of Agriculture daring the same period is not generally understood. The publications of these institutions represent as fairly as an}' other data the character of the work which they have been doing, and to some degree indicate as well its extent. Since 1887 the stations have prepared and published 4.906 separate bulletins on agricultural subjects, 101 circulars, 311 special bulletins, and 787 annual reports, making a total of 6,143 publications varying in siz'e from a few pages to several hundred. These bulletins and cir- culars contain the results of the work of the station officers in the interest of agriculture and are sent out to a list that now embraces over half a million names. The United States Department of Agriculture during this same period prepared and printed 5,771 separate documents varying from bulletins of a few pages each to an annual Yearbook averaging 781 pages. Of these documents there were printed for distribution 82,735,580 copies, covering practicalh' every phase of agricultural operation. The enor- mous amount of work which these publications have involved is per- haps best shown by a statement made by the Division of Publications, in which it appears that in nine 3^ears there were printed 1.629 separate publications, containing 205,111 pages, equivalent to a set of 110 volumes of 500 pages each. The problem of getting the information which these publications contain, and the new facts that are being discovered each year, into the hands of farming people has become of first importance. The method employed has been to disseminate it in the form of bulletins through the mails. The result has been that the large majorit}^ of farming people are not reached by this method of distribution. This is notaljh' true as regards the less progressive farmers an^^ the women and youth of the farmers' families. The farmers' institute has done much to overcome this difficult}' b\^ sending out capable teachers to give the information orally. Their special work has come to be the disseminating of valuable, reliable, and up-to-date information respecting agriculture among country people. In efiect the}' have become the agents of the agricultural col- leges, the experiment stations, and the United States Department of Agriculture in the work of instructing farmers in the principles and facts of agriculture, a form of university extension work on whose 11 corps of teachers are representatives from the faculties of the agri- cultural colleo-es and from tlie stalls of the experiment stations. Last year these institutions furnished ll»0 lecturers, who o-ave 1.6G() days of their time to impartino- instruction in farmers' institutes. In the gen- eral system of agricultural education the farmers* institute now occu- pies the position of disseminator of agricultural truth among the masses. It aims not simply to reach those who are active\v engaged in the business of farming, but to influence and assist as Avell the great mass of population who have little or no knowledge or appreciation of ao-riculture as a callino- in life. Its work is not limited to efforts to improve the condition of existing farmers, but contemplates as well the creating of new as well as better farmers. WEAT THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE IS DOING FOR THE INSTITUTES. The United States Department of Agriculture has taken up the duty of assisting the States in their institute work. At the request of the Secretary of Agriculture the Fifty-seventh Congress provided for the appointment of a farmers' institute specialist in the Office of Experi- ment Stations of the Department, and appropriated S5.00(> for meet- ing the necessary expenses of the new oltice. The duties of this officer, as stated in the act making the appropriation, are " to investigate and report upon the organization and progress of farmers' institutes in the several States and Territories and upon similar organizations in foreign countries, with special suggestions of plans and methods for making such organizations more effective, for the dissemination of the results of the work of the Department of Agriculture and the experiment stations, and of improved methods of agricultural practice." The fact that this educational movement for the improvement of farmers has been recognized by Congress, and that it has established in the Department of Agriculture a central office where statistical data can be gathered for the benefit of State directors and institute instructors and where information respecting the institutes can be had, is most important. It is a step toward carrying into practical opera- tion the theory that education is for all of the people and is not to be entirelv restricted to the young. It is a recognition of the fact that society in its large sense needs education fully as nuich as the individ- ual, and that any system of instruction that reaches the mass of men with valuable truth is worthy of national support. There has been no doubt as to the propriety of Congress assisting the agricultural col- leges and the experiment stations of the several States, and the same reasons that justify aid in these directions apply with still greater force to education for the millions who are unable to take advantage of the opportunities Avhich the land-grant colleges afiord. The insti- tute has been giving education to the masses to a limited extent, and 12 Congress has shown its appreciation of the vahie and importance of the work that has been done and of the possibilities of the new field in pu))lic education that has been opened up b}' appropriating from the National Treasury funds for its encouragement and support. Until now the institutes have been passing through the experimental stage of their existence — testing methods, gaining in experience, and discovering the needs of agricultural people. They are only begin- ning to get their work s^^stematized. so as to enable them to settle down into a well-organized and thoroughly equipped sj^stem of instruc- tion, with clearlv defined purposes and a distinct field of operation. Their work thus far has been without coordination, except such as has come through the American Association of Farmer's Institute Workers, which was organized in 1896. While there will no doubt always be a degree of diversit}^ in organization and practice by the several States in the institute work, owing to the peculiar and div^erse conditions that exist, yet in all essentials there can and ought to be agreement. This agreement and cooperation can be hastened and the efficiency of the work be rapidh^ promoted through the central ofiice which the Department of Agriculture has established. During the year of its existence this office has collected and pub- lished the laws of the several States under which the institutes are held, and has also secured a list of the lecturers in the employ of the State directors — 921 in number — with their post-office addresses, and a brief personal history of H23. It has liad lists of the Department publications sent to each of these lecturers and to the State directors, and also has had their names placed upon the permanent mailing list to receive monthly bulletins giving the titles of documents published during the preceding month. Bulletins selected from these lists will be sent to institute workers upon application. The office has also requested that the names of the lecturers be listed by the directors of the experiment stations of the United States, that copies of back numbers of bulletins be sent on application, and that future publications be sent to each lecturer as they are issued. Statistical data have been collected showing the condition and prog- ress of the institutes in the several States and Territories, which will be published for the information of all who may be interested. In addition to this the institute specialist has visited and addressed repre- sentative meetings of institute workers in IT States and 1 Territor}', and has assisted in securing the services of a number of Department experts to visit farmers' meetings and deliver lectures upon their sev- eral specialties. He, also, in cooperation with the institute workers of the country, has fitted up a room in the Agricultural Building at the Exposition at St. Louis with material illustrative of the institute work of the several States. 18 WHAT FARMERS' INSTITUTES HAVE DONE FOR THE FARMERS OF THE UNITED STATES. There are over lU.OOO.OOu farmers in the United States. The cen- sus gives it 10.381. 7*35 who are actively engaged in cultivating the soil. Added to these workers are their families, numbering some 17.000.000 more, so that there were at the taking of the census in 1900 between 26.000.000 and :^7. 000.000 as the total agricultural population of this country, constituting by far the largest number of our citizens engaged in any single occupation. The census revealed also that of those over ten years of age who are engaged in gainful occupations there were in professional service 1.258.739: in domestic and personal service, 5.580.657: engaged in trade and transportation. 4.766.964; in manufacturing and mechanical pursuits. 7.085.992, and in agriculture, as has been stated. 10.381.765. The agricultural workers represent an invested capital of §20.514.001,838. These workers, in addition to supplying the needs of 80.000.000 of our population here at home, sent abroad in the year ended elune 30, 1902. S851.465.622 worth of surplus products, or 62.83 per cent of the entire exports of the coun- try for that year. Agriculture, therefore, without question, is our most important industry, both as respects the number of those engaged in it and in the amount of wealth which it creates. The first question that arises in the minds of those not familiar with the results of the o])eration of the farmers* institutes is. ''What have the institutes done for the farmers of the United States T' It is of course impossible to state in detail all of the beneficial effects that have come to the agricultural people of this country through the institute schools. There are. however, a number of directions in which the institutes have exerted a marked infiuence in assisting farm- ing people. They have, first of all. awakened farmers to a realization of the possibilities of agriculture. This has been accomplished by showing what well qualified men have been able to accomplish in the rearing of animals and in the growing of crops. The institutes are showing farmers that their failure to secure abundant crops or superior animals, and to make farming a profitable l)usiness. is chiefiy in them- selves: that thousands of farmers have succeeded and multitudes are now succeeding and increasing their income sufliciently to insure financial independence, and in many instances have secured more than ordinary wealth. The institutes have also brought farmers to appreciate the value of science to agriculture. They have made it clear that the modern farmer must make use of scientitic methods and the results of scientific discoveries if he is to succeed in even moderate degree. Publi<^ opin- ion has l)een completely changed within twenty years in its attitude toward scientific institutions and scientific men. Both have come 14 to be respected and their advice and cooperation earnestly desired. The farmers' institute has been largely responsible for this change. It has taken scientitic men before audiences of practical farmers, and has given both the opportunity of becoming acquainted and of inter- changing views to their nuitual advantage. The institute has also brought man}^ to realize that the hope of agri- culture lies in the agricultural colleges and experiment stations. That education in agricultural affairs is as necessar\' to success as education in law. or medicine, or mechanics, and that there can be no true prog- ress in the agricultural industry unless there is being continuallv added to the stock of knowledge information secured through investigations b}- trained men who carefulh^ observe and faithfully report results, is coming to be generally recognized. The land-grant colleges in the several States are annualh' furnishing a large body of educated agri- cultural workers, and the experiment stations are yearly adding to the information already secured new and still more valuable facts for the use of farmers. The institutes have brought farming communities to see the great advantage that a properh^ educated man has over the farmer who has nothing except the traditions and experience of his localit}^ to guide him. In doing this the}" have performed a service that no other existing institution could possibly have rendered, and the}" thus have proven themselves worthy of the support and cooperation of the colleges and stations on the one hand and of the farming population on the other. The institutes have also done another thing that farmers as a class have needed more perhaps than any other. They have taught them self-respect. They have been exciting inquiry respecting the funda- mental truths of agriculture, and have been spreading information of a most valuable kind through rural communities until many farmers have been brought to read and investigate for themselves, and have become well informed with regard to the particular specialty that they pursue. All of this has resulted in bringing about a consciousness of enlarged ability and a consequent increase of self-respect. The institutes have also brought farmers to respect their occupation. The institute lecturers are showing that agriculture to-day is the best and most profitable occupation that exists: that it provides more comforts for more people than any other, is less exacting in its requirements than any other, gives more leisure and purer joys than any other, and is the only occupation in which absolute and unqualified independence exists. The institute has broadened the farmers* view. In many districts country people have not kept abreast of the advance that has been made in their own profession. Their isolation has shut them ofi' from contact with men who are discovering new truths and who are showing the adaptability of their discoveries to the improvement of 15 agriculture. The institute has been instrumental in bringino- these leaders in agricultural progress in contact with the more remote sections, and have enabled farmers to see that there is much more in their profession than they had ever before supposed. As nature's methods in the wonderful transformations that occur in the life and growth of animals and })lants are explained by institute instructors, many farming people have had their lirst inspiration and incentive to experiment for themselves and to study the operations of the laws that have eliected these remarkable results. Their eyes have been opened and their view enlarged, with the result that their occupation has been lifted out of the routine of drudgery into the realms of a most interesting and delightful occupation. This is no small service to render to a calling, and the institution that does it is a valuable addition to the educational system in any country. The farmers* institutes have performed another service that has been most valual)le in the development of the agricultural industry. They have shown farmers the importance and value of unity of action in public affairs. The institutes have pointed out a way by which coun- try people can act together and come to a common understanding and agreement on important questions that affect their interests by means of discussions in farmers* institute meetings. The institutes have not reached the entire 27.000.000 of farming peo- ple, but they have given instruction to about 1.00( >.(>()() of this number, scattered through all the communities of the United States. The work, therefore, that remains for the institutes before the limit of their useful- ness is reached is very great, and will, as has been stated, require that the force of workers shall be many times increased, and that the money that is now expended in institute work shall be much more abun- dantly supplied. ASSISTING FARMERS' BOYS. The institute movement was inaugurated for the improvement of the adult farmer. It has so developed that it is now clear that this kind of instruction can and ought to be extended to include the chil- dren and youth in the farmers* families. The best method for accom- plishing this has not yet been discovered. In one State packages of seed corn are sent out l)v the State director of institutes to as many farmers' boys as will accept them and agree to plant them according to directions, caring for and cultivating the crop and bringing to a subsequent institute samples of the product together with a detailed statement of the manner in which it was grown. The samples are judged by a capable corn expert, and a premium is awarded to the boy exhibiting the best. This has resulted in interesting a large number of young people to the extent that an entire day of an institute is now given over in several districts to the interests of young people, and the programme is made up largely of papers and speeches by boys and girls. In one county the superintendent of public schools has recom- 16 mended that the schools all close upon Avhat has come to be known as *■' boys' day," and that teachers and scholars attend the farmers' institute. Although work in this direction is new. it has the active support and assistance of many of the best educators of the country- , and is sure to develop until institutes for country children become as numerous and useful as those now held for the adult farmer. WOMEN'S INSTITUTES. Until recently institute instruction was given altogether to mixed audiences of men and women with most of the teaching directed to the work of men. Much of the instruction was consequently unin- teresting to women. By degrees there came to be a session or two in the institute arranged specialh^ in the interest of women's work, at which men and women were present as before. This was found to be as unsatisfactor}^ as the other, inasmuch as topics of peculiar value to women were not of special interest to men. Out of this has grown the woman's institute, composed entirely of women and devoted wholl}^ to their interests. Several States have organizations of this charac- ter, and lind them to be well conducted and of great interest and value. This, like the institute for boys, is also a new feature and develop- ment of the original institute idea, and promises to be a valuable addition to the institute work. The popularity of this new movement is quite remarkable. One State that organized its woman's institute as late as 1898 reports 102 counties in 1903, in each of which there is a woman's association in connection with the regular farmers' institute societies. THE LECTURE FORCE. The lecture method is used in giving instruction at the institutes, the lectures being followed by an informal discussion of the topics by the audiences. The effect of this critical discussion has been to drive uninformed and ill-balanced lecturers from the platform, and gradu- ally to secure for institute service a corps composed of well qualified and conservative teachers. An examination of the personal history of 623 lecturers engaged in the farmers' institute work in the United States shows that 287 have college degrees. 138 have taken partial college courses, 108 have had the advantage of normal or high school training, and 90 are specialists — practical men who have had ordinary educa- tional advantages. The men, therefore, who are now giving instruc- tion in the farmers' institutes in this country are for the most part well qualified for their work. The number of specially educated and carefully trained instructors in agriculture is. however, at present quite limited, and it is manifest that the future extension of the institutes will be largely controlled by their ability to secure a suflicient number of capable teachers. Thus far the State directors have depended largely upon the agricul- 17 tunil colleges and the experiment stations for their supply of men for expert scientific teaching, and upon the more intelligent, successful, practical farmers for giving information in regard to the practical operations in agriculture. ^Slany of the most competent men graduated by the agricultural colleges each year are being engaged by the colleges and stations for the work of instruction, while others are employed in managing their own farms, in directing farming operations for large companies or on the estates of wealthy capitalists, and are. therefore, fully occupied with the duties that they have assumed. Their time being thus preempted makes it impracticable for them to devote any considerable portion of it to the general work of educational extension in the institute Held. The great problem, therefore, that confronts the farmers" institute workers of the United States is that of enlarging the institute lecture force sufficiently to meet the demands of the work as it is expanding year by 3'ear. FARMERS' INSTITUTES STATISTICS. Xuinher of institute.'< held 7t) 1 38 3 4 18 1 202 1 1 4 Total. Total number of sessions. Total at- tendance. 60 10 9 28 21 15 4 17 108 181 64 92 8 50 40 40 120 284 100 58 127 16 65 3 18 • 31 3 312 15 19 263 29 20 327 1 858 348 204 134 83 116 1.54 885 238 122 32 268 18 36 119 13 2,618 1,000 20, 000 1. 300 4,000 4,8W 2,900 3,500 160 2,550 42, 876 73, 653 17. im 38, 085 2,000 13,245 5,846 11,222 12,487 53,037 35, 171 10,000 25, 400 600 25,000 983 6,300 6,850 138,528 1,525 2,6-55 81,752 904.654 31561—04- 18 Financial statistics of tlie farmers' institutes for the year ended June 30, 1903. Funds appropriated for institutes. States and Territories State. S600.00 Alabama Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho 1, 000 Illinois 18, 150 700. 700. 2, .500. 10,000. 7, 425. 2,000. 2,000. 3,000. 4.000. 2,000. 7, .500. Indiana Iowa Kansas Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota 16, .500. Mississippi 1, -500. Missouri 4, 000. Montana 2, 000. Nebraska 4, 000. Xevada New Hampshire 1, 000. New Jersey 2, 000. New Mexico New York 20, 000. North Carolina 600. North Dakota 1, .500. Ohio 16, 981 . Oklahoma 1, 000. Oregon Pennsylvania 15, 000. Rhode Island 44. South Carolina Tennessee 2, .500. Texas Utah 1, 500. Vermont 5, 000. Virginia Washington 2, 500. West Virginia 5, 4.51 . Wisconsin 12, 000. 00 College and other funds. Total ! 176,651.00 860.00 4, 000. 00 385. 00 100.00 1.000.00 3.5.00 300.00 1,120.00 Cost. Total cost. 2,100.00 I S600.00 60.00 3, 400. 00 385.00 700.00 800.00 2,500.00 1,000.00 35. 00 1,000.00 18,150.00 10,000.00 5,000.00 2,000.00 2, 000. 00 3,000.00 4,000.00 1,717.00 5,838.00 16,500.00 1,500.00 4,000.00 2,631.00 4,000.00 120.00 1,000.00 1,800.00 125.00 20, 000. 00 600.00 1,1.58.00 16,981.00 1,000.00 300.00 15, 000. 00 44.00 i 1,120.00 2,500.00 ! 2,100.00 i 1,500.00 2,907.00 I Cost per session. 2, 500. 00 5,451.00 12, 000. 00 512. 00 3.00 56.00 19.00 28.00 12.00 38.00 22.00 9,00 36.00 Appropria- tions U)T the season 1903-4. S800.00 2, 700. 00 6,000.00 10.50 14.00 10.00 15.00 36.00 34.50 16. 35 6.59 50.00 25.86 32.00 82.00 15.00 6.66 2.5.00 15.00 9.60 14.73 24.00 17.30 13.58 5.00 18.00 44.00 32.00 11.66 37.50 26.70 34.50 15.00 700.00 600. 00 2, 500. 00 1,000.00 150.00 1,000.00 19,6.50.00 10,000.00 7, 425. 00 2, 000. 00 2,000.00 3,000.00 4, 000. 00 2, 700. 00 7, .500. 00 18,000.00 1.500.00 5, 000. 00 4,000.00 6,000.00 1,000.00 "2," 666." 66 "26,'666.'c6 1,000.00 4, 000. CO 16, 7.50. CO 1,000.00 17, 500. 00 "i," 666.' 03 5, 000. 00 3,000.03 1,500.03 5,000.0) 3, .500. 00 2, 50 J. 00 6,000.00 12,000.00 9,345.00 179,022.00 . 03 210, 975. 00 19 Number of lecturers empJoijed hi/ the State directors of farmers' mstitute.^ dur'uKj the year ended June 30, 1903. States and Territories. Alabama Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Delaware . Florida Georgia. Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa . Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts . . . Michigan Minnesota Missis-sippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire. New Jersey. New Mexico New York North Carolina.. North Dakota . . . Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania ... Rhode Island South Carolina . . Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia . . . Wisconsin Reports of pro- ceedings. 7 40 ' 56' ^ 14 28 ' ■ i 19 19 1 9 58 I 25 1 - 10 127 1 120 1 4 8 32 5 1 3 43 5 15 4| 6 51 14 7 I 20 I 58 20 240 65 12o 22 16 111 16 11 35 22 16 4 29 256 359 142 102 14 54 40 58 120 356 115 60 205 16 111 6 18 51 6 522 15 35 526 36 30 606 1 50 Yes... No.... No.... Yes... Yes... Yes... No.... Yes... No.... No.... Ye.'v. . . No.... No.... Yes... No.... Yes... Yes... 10 40 41 72 21 293 221 No..-. Yes. .. Yes... 8,000 30, 000 18,000 5,000 2,000 25,000 10,000 10,000 31,600 5,000 3,000 60,000 Total 196 1,666 4.880 253,700 20 Comparative niatement of farmers' indltutes. AppropFiations. itates and Territories. Number of ses- sions. Alabama Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansa.s Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts . . . Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire. New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina . . North Dakota ... Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania ... Rhode Island South Carolina . . Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia . . . Wisconsin 1901-2. Number of insti- 1902- coo 4,000 600 2, 500 500 18, 150 10, 000 7, 425 2, 000 2,000 3,500 4,000 7,500 16, 500 1,500 4,000 2,000 4,000 6G0 20, 000 322 1,500 16, 784 15, 000 1, 051 2,016 1,500 4,000 5, 000 12, 000 600 60 4,000 385 700 800 2,500 1,000 35 1,000 18,150 10, 000 7. 425 2,000 1,200 2, 000 3,000 4,000 2, 000 7, 500 16, 500 1,500 4,000 2,000 4,000 120 1,000 2, 000 125 20, 000 600 1,.500 16, 981 1,000 300 15,000 44 1,150 2, 500 2,100 1,500 5,000 2, 500 5, 451 12, 000 Total 170,548 187,226 50 20 254 20 25 67 42 32 4 858 348 204 134 83 116 154 ss5 238 122 32 268 18 36 119 13 1,363 25 67 1,250 36 60 831 1 50 ISO 40 108 144 632 566 24 2 i 63 ! 15 12 15 22 ! 4 50 110 201 05 102 38 37 36 128 255 69 40 104 17 80 1 40 17 269 17 27 278 11 19 189 1 31 2 60 10 9 28 21 15 4 17 108 181 64 • 92 8 50 40 40 120 284 100 58 127 16 65 3 18 31 3 312 15 19 263 29 20 327 1 50 40 64 40 41 72 12 158 120 Attendance. 1901-2. 1902-3. 3, 179 2,616 350 20, 000 "5,066" 3, 055 3,300 i86' 17,000 39, 187 40. 000 6, 500 32, 450 1,600 7, 500 5, 920 1,500 2,176 101,000 27, 205 8,000 10, 000 1,200 25, 800 4,000 5,000 94, 688 1,700 9,967 94, 655 1,150 3, 335 144. 431 30 10,100 10, 000 14,100 1,500 15, 000 48,800 2,618 1,000 20, 000 1,300 4,000 4.800 2, 900 3, 500 160 2, 5.50 42, 876 73. 653 17, 7.50 38, 085 2, 000 13, 245 5, 846 11,222 12, 487 53, 037 35, 171 10, 000 25, 400 600 25, 000 983 6,300 6, 850 375 138, 528 1,525 2, 665 81.752 4,000 112,5.50 20 14, 390 10, 000 5,376 3,200 16. 400 18, 000 1.800 15, 7.50 55, 000 819, 995 904, 654 o uZ^,l^,f,!JlP^ FLORIDA