656 BOAKD Ot^ AGKlCULTtfRE. 



successful, as have beeu those since held under State management. 

 * ♦ * I uni sure that Gibson Countj- was the lirst county in Indiana 

 that held farmers' institutes. [This is probaljly true, so far as institutes 

 held under exclusively local auspices are concerned.— Sui^erintendent 

 Farmers' Institutes.] 



"I was a member of the State Board of Agriculture. 21 years, and was 

 familiar with all the work of the Board during that time. I recall no far- 

 mers" institutes held before the State work began, except ours in Gibson 

 County. [Mr. Mitchell did not attend the institutes at Columbus and 

 Crawfordsville in 1882. This doubtless accounts for his failure to recall 

 these early meetings, which were held directly under the auspices of the 

 State Board of Agriculture.— Superintendent Farmers' Institutes.] 



"Mr. John Q. A. Seig was a good institute worker, and began the Avork 

 In Harrison County, possibly before the State did. [I do not believe Mr. 

 Sieg held any institutes prior to the beginning of the State work, but it 

 is my recollection that the first institute under State auspices Avas held at 

 Corydon, in Harrison County, and that Mr. Sieg Avas actiA'e in arranging 

 for and conducting this meeting.— Superintendent Farmers' Institutes.] 

 Mr. Jasper X. Davidson, of Montgomery County, was also an active 

 Avorker at Farmers' Institutes. Mr. R. M. Lockhai't, of Waterloo, also 

 taok an active part in the early Avork. * * * i -^.^g jj^t t^^e first institute 

 held at Corydon, but can't now recollect Avhether it Avas a year before 

 State aid or not. L. B. Custer, of Loganspoi't, Avas also in the first work. 

 Steve Dungan, of Franklin, also took an interest in institutes. Alex. Heron, 

 wlio Avas Secretary of the State Board of Agriculture for 18 years, did 

 all he could to encourage agricultural and live stock associations. I 

 served three terms as Bresment of the State Board, and with Mr. Heron's 

 assistance, the different live stock State associations were formed. They 

 might be called institutes, as practically the same kind of instruction pre- 

 vailed,." 



From Mr. L. B. Cxister, Logansport: 



"At the .January. 1882, meeting of the State Board of Agriculture it 

 Avas decided to hold four institutes during the year. These institutes were 

 to be held under the auspices of the State Board of Agriculture. But 

 tAvo of these meetings Av.n-e held. The annual report for 1881 gives a full 

 account of these meetings. * * * i don't know of any other farmers' 

 institutes being held under the auspices of the State Board of Agriculture. 

 A number of farmers in Cass County in January or February of 1889 

 organized a county farmers' institute, and held several meetings during 

 llie year, and then came under your direction as superintendent under 

 the laAv of 1889." 



From Mrs. Virginia C. Meredith, Cambridge City, Ind.: 



"Replying to your inquiry, I did not do any institute work at the time 

 you mention, but my husband, Henry C. Meredith, did. It was, I think. 



