Director's Report 1557 



It would seem that for some time to come the original line of 

 work — that of holding institutes — will demand a large meed of 

 attention. As indicated above the demand for such has been 

 greater than we have supplied. Already many requests are com- 

 ing for this character of work for the ensuing year, and much ap- 

 prehension has been expressed that there was to be no appropri- 

 ation for this purpose. My aim has been to place meetings in the 

 smaller places, many of which have never before had institute^ or 

 anything of like character; where the people have not been able to 

 avail themselves of present day advantages. In response to some 

 seven thousand circulars sent out during the summer of 1912, in- 

 quiring as to agricultural conditions, I have been able to get in 

 touch with such places, of which there are a surprisingly large num- 

 ber. That so many of the institutes have been held in small places 

 where there was not a large attendance of village folk not vitally 

 interested in farming, as is the case in the larger towns, coupled 

 with the fact that in February the ice harvest had to l)e gathered 

 over the entire state in about ten days, accounts for the slightly de- 

 creased attendance under the previous year. The follow-up work 

 and that relating to cow testing associations (put in my charge 

 January 1, 1913) are explained in detail in this report. 



The Bureau has been in close touch with the farm bureau move- 

 ment, rendering financial aid to those first established, and assist- 

 ing in their organization in several counties. I find the farm bu- 

 reau agents most valuable assistants in their respective counties, 

 and am in every way possible cooperating with them, I am sure, 

 to our mutual advantage. My idea is that the work of the Bureau 

 of Farmers' Institutes and that of the farm bureaus should even- 

 tually be coordinated. 



In December, 1912, Bulletin ISTo. 42 was issued, containing 

 something over one hundred pages, made up of abstracts of ad- 

 dresses given at the institutes. These had previously been printed 

 on separate sheets to be distributed after delivery of the address. 



In February, 1913, Bulletin ]^o. 44, consisting of two volumes, 

 of over six hundred and fifty pages, was issued. This is made 

 up entirely of questions and answers, covering the entire field of 

 agriculture, l)eginning with the soil, then the various crops, fruits 

 and flowers, live stock, and ending with matter pertaining to the 



