farmers' institutes in the united states. 389 



institiito purposes was $5,000, of whirls $3,100 only was used. A 

 technical ruling hy the State auditor i)revente(l the use of the balance 

 of the funds, on the jjround that the portion not drawn |)ri(ir to 

 January 1 was required under the act niakin<^ the appropriation to 

 be refunded to the public treasury. 



The total number of lecturers reported upon the State force was 

 2f), and the total number of days of institutes held during the year 

 was one hundred and fifty-two. Ten thousand copies of reports of 

 the proceedin<;s are printed annually and distributed. 



There are no permanent local organizations for institute purposes 

 in the several counties, the director arranging each year for institutes 

 by correspondence from the office with a local committee, which he 

 api)oints. The director fixes the dates and i)laces and consults with 

 the local connnittee respecting the progrannne. Meetings are adver- 

 tised i)y publishing from two to four weeks in advance the dates, 

 l)laces, and names of the speakers in the local press. A traveling 

 institute was organized three years ago, and was in successful opera- 

 tion during the past season. A railway car is fitted up with illus- 

 trative material and equipped with a lecture force furnished by the 

 collejre of agriculture and mechanic arts of the universitv and l)v the 

 experiment station. Numerous districts were visited in tliis manner 

 and very satisfactory institutes were held, the lecturers having the 

 advantage of the material with which the car was supplied for use in 

 demonstration. In most places where meetings of this character are 

 held the material used in demonstration is taken from the car to the 

 institute hall. After the meeting has Ikhmi held the people are invited 

 to pa.ss through the car and view the exhibits. The railroads of the 

 State are cooperating in the movement, and the meetings are growing 

 in interest and attendance. 



A new feature in institute work was reported by the State director 

 two years ago, having for its purpose the interesting of the children 

 of the public schools. The method pursued is to have the conductor 

 of an institute in a locality, after having secured the consent of the 

 superintendent of i)ublic instruction, to interview the school directors 

 of the district, asking i)ermission to have one or more of his lecturers 

 visit the pui)lic schools while they are in session and deliver one or 

 more lectures upon some phase of agricultural life. The result has 

 l)een that the children have become greatly interested in the farmers' 

 institute, and through them the interest has extended into the homes 

 from which they come. 



MONTANA. 



The board of administration of farmers' iuslitutes in Montana is 

 comi)os<'d of the governor cd' the State, the director of the Montana 

 Experiment Station, and the i)resideuts of the Montana Kegistered 



