318 EEPOET OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



national Association of Poultry Instructors and Investigators held a 

 meeting beginning July 30. 



The steady rise of interest in the graduate school since its first session 

 and the growing attendance are sure indications that it is fdling a 

 useful place in our scheme of agricultural education. The attendance 

 and interest might be considerably increased if all our agricultural 

 colleges and secondary schools would regularly arrange for the attend- 

 ance of at least a portion of their faculties at each session. It is 

 believed that none of these institutions can afford to neglect to make 

 such provision. 



THE AGRICULTUEAL COLLEGES. 



Agricultural colleges were in operation during the year in all the 

 States and Territories except Alaska. Counting the 16 separate insti- 

 tutions for negroes in the South, there were 67 such institutions. The 

 attendance at these institutions and the funds available for their 

 support were greater than in any previous year. They had 53,708 

 students in interior courses, 169,121 in exterior courses, including 

 correspondence and extension courses (not farmers' institutes), and 

 35,191 in all other courses, making a total, counting none twice, of 

 258,020 students. This was an increase over 1910 of 90 per cent. 

 Included in this increase, however, were 26,667 matriculates in 

 "farmers' week" courses at the colleges, which were formerly classed 

 as farmers' institutes. But if these were omitted from present con- 

 sideration there would stiU be an increase of 71 per cent in the number 

 of students reached directly by the land-grant colleges. 



The agricultural students in these institutions increased from 17,375 

 in 1910 to 19,170 in 1911, a 10 per cent gain. The additions to the 

 equipment of these colleges were valued at over five and one-half 

 millions, and to their income over eight hundred thousand. 



APPROPRIATIONS. 



The State appropriations for the support of the agricultural col- 

 leges include some of the most Uberal provisions ever made for the 

 maintenance and improvement of educational institutions. 



The University of Illinois was given $3,600,000, of wliich $952,300 

 was for the agricultural college and experiment station. Among the 

 several items granted are $19,000 for the purcliase of improved live 

 stock and $153,000 for new buildings. This includes $80,000 for a 

 hve-stock building and large pavilion to cost eventually $100,000, 

 and $20,000 for the purchase of 40 acres of land for the poultry plant 

 and additional field experiments. 



The Kansas college and station has an appropriation of $985,000 

 for the ensuing biennium. The law relating to the inspection of 

 feeding stuffs was revised and the fees made larger, thereby increasing 

 the revenues of the college. 



