380 liEi'UHT UL" Ol-'i^'K'E OF KXPEHIMEMT STATKiKS. 



sciences.'' The board is iiiilhoi-ized to " fonmilate siidi rules and 

 re«i:ulations as it shall deem proper to caiTv on the work contemplated 

 in the act, and may emjjlov such a^ent or agents to perform such 

 duties in connection therewith as it shall deem best." Local farmers' 

 institute societies are provided for in the act, and such societies are 

 recpiired to hold annually at least one institute of at least two days in 

 len^j^th. To orpmize a local county institute society the rule of the 

 board requires that at least — 



Twenty residents of tlii' cuunty, witlKuit iciraid to st-x, Imt of legal age, shall 

 meet and adopt a brief eoustitntion in liniiiiony witii tlie State law, elect a 

 president and a vice-presidcMit from eaeii townsliip in tiie eonnty, and a secre- 

 tary, who shall also he treasurer. Such society shall furnish to the secretary of 

 the hoard of agriculture a copy of its constitution and by-laws, and shall 

 transmit with the same a written agreement, signed by the president and secre- 

 tary of the society, stating that the society will, for purposes of farmers' insti- 

 tutes, conform to the rules of the board of agriculture governing such institute. 

 Within ten days after the close of such institute the secretary shall make a 

 report to the superintendent on blanks to be furnished by the superiuteudeut. 



The immediate management of the farmers' institutes is placed in 

 charge of a superintendent elected by the board of agriculture. The 

 superintendent arranges for locating and holding institutes, is au- 

 thorized to approve all institute societies when properly organized, 

 and, after consultation with members of local institute societies, 

 determines the time and place for holding the institutes and the 

 subjects to be discussed. He also designates the persons who are to 

 attend as lecturers, and has authority to reject from the progrannne 

 local speakers or topics that are objectionable. He has authority to 

 call upon the faculty and instructors of the agricultural college and 

 members of the experiment station force for such institute work as 

 may be assigned them by the board, with the consent of the president. 



During the past year 270 institutes were held, consisting of 827 

 sessions. Two hundred of these institutes were one-day, and 68 were 

 two-da3% and 2 were three-day institutes. The total attendance was 

 65,004. There were 47 speakers upon the State lecture force, 21 of 

 whom were members of the college faculty or of the experiment 

 station staff, and contributed ninety days' time. The appropriation 

 for the expenses of the lecture force was $9,300, of which $1,800 was 

 from membership fees, contributions, etc. Reports containing sta- 

 tistics of attendance, list of officers, etc., and a report of the annual 

 round-up institute, together with such papers as are of special excel- 

 lence, read at the county institutes, are edited by the State superin- 

 tendent, and 9,000 copies were published for distribution by the 

 institute societies. A round-up of the institute workers is held 

 annually. The meeting for the past year was attended by 5,755 

 persons, and continued through 12 sessions, besides 3 conferences 

 and G special sessions. 



