farmers' institutes in the united states. 365 



The tliird feature necessary to a complete system in order that the 

 benefits of the work may be enjoyed is that of accessibility. Institute 

 organizations should l)e sufficiently numerous in a county to be easily 

 accessible to all of the citizens so that those who desire may have 

 opportunity to become identified with the orpinization and enjoy its 

 advantages. Townshi]) agricultural organizations and local farm 

 clubs provide means for meeting this need. 



A fourth necessity is that of an adequate supply of competent 

 instructors available when needed. A properly organized system 

 must provide for the education of its teaching force. This necessity 

 is now recognized by most of the States. 



These requirements, essential in any complete system of institutes 

 for a State, may be scheduled under the folowing heads : 



(1) A State board of institute supervision. 



(2) County farmers' institute organizations. 



(3) Township farmers" irtstitute societies. 



(4) Farm clubs for minor districts. 



(5) Interstate normal colleges for farmers' institute workers. 



AID BY THE NATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The work of the National Department of Agriculture as it relates 

 lo the institutes is in the direction of assistinj; the States in rendering 

 their systems most efficient for the upbuilding of their farming 

 industry. The present law limits aid by the DeiDartment to "in- 

 vestigating and reporting upon the oi-ganization and progress of 

 farmers' institutes in the several States and Territories and upon 

 similar organizations in foreign countries, with sjiecial 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 agricultural experiment stations, and of im- 

 proved methods of agricultural practice." As the law now stands 

 the scope of the institute work of (he Department is limited to 

 "investigation, report, and suggestion of plans and methods." This 

 restriction confines the field of institute work to limits quite below 

 those which the Department naturally possesses. 



The act of May 1(>, 18()2, creating a Department of Agi-iculture 

 declares that its ''general design and duties shall be to acquire and 

 diffuse among the people of the United States useful information 

 on subjects connected with agriculture in the most general and com- 

 pi-eiicnsive sense of that word." The "diffusing" of information is 

 therefore an obligation specifically conferred and enjoined upon the 

 I)e|)artment. 



Ought not the fanners" institute work ol" the Department, in order 

 to be in harmony with the declared j[)urpose of the Department and 



