Proceedings of Seventeektii ^normal Institute ^o 



the more technical field and the institutes the more general. There 

 is no conflict between the two ; there is no duplication of work. 

 The two agencies are working together harmoniously and 

 cooperatively. 



INTRODUCTION OF A NEW FEATURE THE AGRICULTURAL LAW 



It has been stated that the institutes have outlived their use- 

 fulness — that there is no longer a need for work of this char- 

 acter. I agree that the institute wo^rk of today is not the same 

 in character as that of twenty years ago, but I do not agree with 

 those who believe that the institutes should be abolished. I do be- 

 lieve, however, that the institute work should progress and develop 

 together with, and perhaps in advance of, the progress and 

 development of agTiculture, and I think an opportune time has 

 arrived to introduce a new feature into the institute work — or 

 perhaps I should say, to revive a dormant feature. That feature 

 is the dissemination of. information in regard to the agricultural 

 laws of the state of New York. 



As stated above, the function of the institutes hitherto has been 

 to impart technical information. The conductors or speakers 

 may have called, and probably did call, attention to the laws of the 

 state — to the dairy law in a dairy section, to the nursery laws in 

 a fruit section, etc. But no systematic effort has ever been made 

 to instruct the farmers definitely in regard to the provisions of the 

 laws. I am wondering how many of the institute workers them- 

 selves are familiar with the provisions of the laws sufficiently to 

 make a creditable, clear and legal explanation. 



The primary function of the Department of Agriculture is regu- 

 lative — to enforce the agricultural laws of the state of !New York. 

 The institute workers are representatives of this department, and 

 this winter it is planned to have the institute speakers explain to 

 the farmers the agricultural laws. 



IGNORANCE OP LAW A GENERAL PLEA 



One of the difficulties of the department is the plea of ignorance 

 on the part of the violators. In particular was this brought out 

 in connection with the enforcement of the new apple grading law. 

 Mr. Atwood informs me that in 95 per cent of the violations the 

 defendant has stated that he knew nothing of the law, or did not 



