DEPARTMENT REPORTS. lOl 



THE ROUND-UP INSTITUTE. 



Following the previous custom of liaviug the Round-up Institute at 

 the close of the season at some point away from the college in alternate 

 years, the invitation extended by the Isabella County Farmers' Institute 

 Society to hold the Round-up Institute for 1909 at Mt. Pleasant was ac- 

 cepted, and arrangements were made for holding a meeting at that place. 

 The local officers interested the Business Men's Association and were able 

 to secure the use of the oi>era house, the free use of which was donated 

 by the Isabella County State Bank, and the Central Normal School and 

 the United States Indian School through President C. T. Grawn and 

 Superintendent Cochran, invited the institute to hold at least one session 

 in their respective auditoriums. The attendance throughout the entire 

 session of the institute was very large, and although the two leading 

 hotels had promised reduced rates and had agreed to accommodate a 

 considerable number of guests, after the arrangements had been made 

 refused to grajit special rates or to make provision for accommodating 

 the speakers and delegates, through the efforts of Mayor Walter Snider 

 and the Business Men's Association, all of the delegates and visitors 

 were assigned to private houses, the best residences of Mt. Pleasant being 

 thrown open for the purpose. 



The institute lasted four full days and was continued a fifth day as a 

 teachers' institute. A women's congress was held on Wednesday and 

 Thursday afternoons and on Friday afternoon there was a joint teachers' 

 and patrons' meeting in the Methodist church in addition to the general 

 session at the Opera House. The total attendance for the twelve sessions 

 Avas 10,12.5. 



The corn exhibit under the auspices of the State Com Improvement 

 Association proved of great interest and value and brought out a large 

 number of exhibits. A complete list of the awards is given in the body 

 of the report. Through an arrangement with the State Agricultural 

 Society cash prizes from a fund donated by the latter were paid witli 

 the understanding that the corn should be scored and was to become 

 the property of the society, to be exhibited at the State Fair to be held 

 in Detroit in September, 1909. 



A large exhibit of small grains and vegetables Avas also collected by a 

 committee of the Isabella County Farmers' Institute Society for which 

 liberal prizes donated by the farmers and merchants of Mt. Pleasant were 

 offered. 



Corn exhibits have been made special features of many of the county 

 institutes held during the year. They have not only served to foster 

 and increase interest in better methods of selecting and growing corn 

 and the exhibits as compared with those made in previous years show .i 

 very striking advance in both respects. In several counties prizes were 

 offered for corn grown by boys and girls under eighteen years of age. 

 They not only brought out a lively competition but served to interest 

 young people in farmers' institutes and, best of all, in rural affairs in 

 general. This work will be continued during the present year and, in 

 a number of counties, more than 100 boys are preparing to take part in 

 the contest. It is proposed to broaden the work to include potatoes and 

 other staple crops for the boys, and prizes will be offered for the best 

 samples of bread, butter and sewing by the girls. 



