THE FARMERS' I\STITUT1:S IN Till: UXITED STATES, 1005. 



By John Hamilton. 

 Farmers' Institute Specialist, Office of Experiment Stations. 



The condition of the farmers' institutes of the country for the 

 year ended June 30, 1905, is approximately shown by the data sup- 

 I^lied by the farmers" institute directors of the several States and 

 Territories. Their rejiorts show that institutes were held in all of 

 the States excepting Florida, Tennessee, and South Dakota, and in 

 all of the Territories excepting Alaska, Indian Territory, and Porto 

 Rico. 



The suspension of institutes in Florida for the year ended June 30, 

 1005, was due to a reorganization of the educational system of the 

 State. The superintendent reports that the institute work will be 

 resumed this year under the control of the university, as formerly. 



The director of institutes for Tennessee states that while some few 

 institutes were held in a number of the counties none Avere conducted 

 by the State. During this time, however, he has been preparing for 

 future institutes by organizing permanent institute societies in the 

 several counties, and during the coming year the work will be taken 

 up and systematically and vigorously urged. 



I'he last legislature of South Dakota made an appropriation for 

 farmers' institutes and provided for an institute committee to take 

 control of the work. This committee has appointed an institute 

 director, who has already selected a corps of instructors to aid him 

 during the coming year. 



Althoufrh no institutes were held last vear in the three States re- 

 ferred to, they all now have the requisite machinery for carrying on 

 the work, and farmers" institutes will therefore be held in every State 

 of the Union next vear. 



During the past year the attendance at the farmers" institutes of 

 the country has increased from 841,008 to 005,102, or an increase of 

 153,404. The total number of institutes held was 3,271, of which 

 1,842 were one-day, 1,307 were two-day. and 122 were three-day insti- 

 tutes, the whole comprising 10,555 sessions. The money appropri- 

 ated for institute purposes was $225,738.80, of which $210,C.(10.41 wa^ 

 expended. The numl)er of institute lecturers employed regularly on 

 the State force increased from 053 to 095. 



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