FARMERS INSTITUTES. 651 



has crowned the efforts of workers in this field, aud notably different 

 results have obtained in a very large number of places where institutes 

 have been held. In many instances the interest has been maintained 

 throuirhout the two days set apart for holding these meetings, and large 

 crowds have come together in response to the call to hear addresses by 

 learned gentlemen selected to conduct these institutes. The discussion of 

 subjects presented appears to have been the most profitable result of the 

 meetings, as in many instances it developed that the practical farmer was 

 'loaded' with ideas directly in opposition to those submitted in papers 

 presented by eminent scientific gentlemen, and. of course, controversiesen- 

 sued, which, although heated at times, aroused enthusiasm in the subject, 

 and in the end, resulted beneficially to both farmer and instructoi*. 



"Among the institutes held, programmes were received at the office 

 of the Secretary of the Board of Agriculture from Rockville, Parke 

 County; Peru, Miami County; Princeton, Gibson County; Laporte, La- 

 porte County; Plainfield, Hendricks Countj" Franklin, Johnson County, 

 and Anderson. Madison County." 



Summary of Early Institutes.— The annual reports of the State Board 

 of Agriculture contain accounts of but four of these institutes. Two of 

 these meetings, as before stated, were held at Columbus, Bartholomew 

 County, and at Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, in March, 1882. Both 

 of these meetings were held under the ausiiices of the State Board of Agri- 

 cultiue. The other two meetings were held at Franklin, .Johnson County, 

 and at Anderson, Madison County, in 18S8. The .Tohuson County institute 

 was held under the joint auspices of Sugar Creek Grange and the State 

 Board of Agriculture. The Madison County institute was held under the 

 joint auspices of the State Board of Agriculture, the Madison County 

 Fair Association and the Madison County Farmers' Club, the last-named 

 taking the initiative. 



It appears, therefore, that the State Board of Agriculture, as such, 

 conducted but two institutes, those held in March, 1SS2. It is true, 

 however, that the interest in the work was kept alive by the discussions 

 upon "Farmers' Institutes," which were had at the annual meetings of 

 the State Board of Agriculture during the eighties. It is also true that 

 several members of the State Board of Agriculture were actively identified 

 with the early farmers' institutes. Among those, members of the State 

 Board of Agriculture deserving especial mention are: Henry C. Meredith 

 (deceased), of Cambridge City. Wayne County; Alexander Heron (do- 

 ceased), of Indianapolis, former Secretary of the State Board of Agri- 

 culture; R. M. Lockliart, of Waterloo, Dekalb County; Robert Mitchell, 

 of Princeton, Gibson County; J. Q. A..Sieg (deceased), of Corydon, Harri- 

 son Countj'; and S. W. Dungan. of Franklin. Johnson County. Among 

 the other persons who took an active and prominent jtart in these early 

 iustitates might be mentioned Hon. A. G. I'orter (deceased), at that time 

 Governor of Indiana; J. G. Kingsbury and J. B. Conner, of Indianapolis, 



