38 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



baggage car, and stops of fi-oiii one hour to an hour and a (]uarter 

 were made at each meeting. These had been well advertised before- 

 hand, and the two passenger coaches were usually tilled with an audi- 

 ence assembled to hear a lecture or two by members of the college 

 faculty and occasional addresses by others who accompanied the trains 

 for a part of the series. The subject generally presented was that of 

 corn selection and culture, and after the addresses the audience ad- 

 journed to the baggage car to inspect the sample ears of various 

 varieties exhibited in illustration of the lectures. These traveling in- 

 stitutes were accompanied by several newsi)aper reporters, raih\'ay offi- 

 cials, and representatives of leading farm journals. Governor Warner 

 was with the "corn train" one day and made several addresses. The 

 total number of th«>se meetings was forty-nine, and the aggregate at- 

 tendance was 3,902. The success and interest of this series suggests 

 the question — may it not be that the further development of institute 

 work should lie along this line? ^A'ould it be jmssible to hold institutes 

 during the fall and take froni county to county several car loads of 

 live stock, fruits, etc., for demonstration ])urposes? 



The greatest problem at present in institute work is to find competent 

 speakers. These institutes are held during the winter at the same time 

 that the short courses are in ju-ogress at the college. This makes it 

 practically imj^ossible for the college professors to render much as- 

 sistance to the institute work. The superintendent of institutes is com- 

 pelled to select his s}>eakers largely from the practical farmers of the 

 state. Such men are not always to be had. Many of them cannot leave 

 their business and otliers do not regard the remuneration sufficient to 

 warrant them in turning over their own affairs to hired men. Travel- 

 ing from place to place in disagreeable weather and often with very 

 poor hotel accommodations makes the task very onerous to some. A 

 lew -loyal and able workers have remained in the ranks year after year, 

 but as they drop out it seems more difficult each year to fill their places. 

 The public is becoming better educated in agricultural matters every 

 year and demands a higher grade of ability in institute workers. To 

 meet this demand for a higher quality of instruction, is the problem. 

 May it not be necessarv in the near future to educate men specially 

 for tliis work and arrange the institutes throughout the state in such 

 a Avay as to afiord these workers almost continuous employment? The 

 summer months could be sjxMit in visiting and rendering assistance to 

 the cheese factories and dairies of the state, and also to llie indi\idual 

 farmers engaged in dairying. In the early fall attention could be 

 given to the fruit interests, and the later fall to institute work in the 

 uj>j)er peninsula. The winter to institute work in the state pr()]»er 

 and the spring to corn ti-ains and such other work as would from time 

 to tinj^e develoj). ]Men in such work could no doubt publish from time 

 to time descrii»tions ol' model dairies. <lairy barns, fruit farms and ad- 

 vanced methods in various lines of fanning, sucii as seen in the dilfer- 

 ent i>arts of the state. Could not a tew well trained men render the 

 larminu interest of the state a great service bv some such method? 



