farmers' institutes. 719 



row-minded or so selfcouceited that they cannot be benefited by the expe- 

 rience of others. In nnion there is strength. Had it not been so the 

 different States of our jpation wovild i^g\er have joined together in one 

 great nnion malting it one of the greatest nations of the earth. Again, 

 had it not been so, there would be no cliurcli societies, no political parties, 

 no lodges. The farmers' institute is one of the best means in uniting the 

 members of agriculture in one common purpose. It is also the quickest 

 means of reaching the masses of people and by far the cheapest method 

 of coming in direct communication with those that most need it. 



In the last ten years, with institutes, agriculture has made more ad- 

 vancements than any fifteen years previous without them. At the end of 

 ten years of farmers' institutes we find them mofe numerous, creating 

 more interest and drawing much larger crowds. Had they been of no 

 benefit to the farmer today they Avould be out of existence. It has been 

 largely through the infiuence of the institute that farmers of todaj' live 

 better, think more, rea<l more, keep better stock, have better roads, tele- 

 phones, rural mail and live on a much better plane of life socially. 



