082 REPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



the board is required to "promote and encourage as far a.s practicable 

 the holdino- of fanners' instilutcs, the oro-ani/ation of agricultural 

 and horticultural societies and other associations in the interest of 

 agriculture in the several counties of the State. * * *" It is 

 directed to " hold farmers' institutes for the instruction of the farm- 

 ers of the State in the various ])ranches of agriculture. Such insti- 

 tutes shall be h(^ld at such times and places in each year as the said 

 board may direct. The said board shall makc^ such orders and reg- 

 ulations as it may deem proper for oi-ganizing and conducting such 

 institutes and may employ an agent or agents to ])erform such 

 work in connection therewith as they may deem best."" The course 

 of instruction in such institut(\s shall be so "arranged as to pre- 

 sent to those in attendance the results of the most recent investi- 

 gations in theoretical and practical farming," One hundred and 

 fifty-eight institutes were held last year; 23 were one-day, 135 were 

 two-day, together comprising 632 sessions. Fifteen thousand seven 

 hundred and fifty persons were reported in attendance. Sixteen lec- 

 turers were upon the State force, four of whom were members of 

 the agricultural college and experiment station staffs, who attended 17 

 institutes and contributed forty days of their time. Five thousand 

 four hundred and fifty-one dollars was appropriated for institute 

 work. 



There is no law requiring the formation of local institute associa- 

 tions, but the board of agriculture has had prepared a set of by-laws 

 which they recommend to local conmiunities for adoption for the pur- 

 pose of securing a local farmers' institute society in ev^ery coijnty in 

 the State. The director of institutes is appointed by the State board 

 of agriculture for a period of two j^ears. The l)oard arranges the 

 dates of the institutes and assigns two of its members to be present at 

 each. The entire expense of the institutes is paid out of the appro- 

 priation made to the State board of agriculture. The reports of the 

 proceedings of the several institutes are required to be sent in to the 

 secretary of the board and are printed in an agricultural periodical 

 issued under the direction of the State board of agriculture. 



WISCONSIN. 



Population 2,069,042. T(jtal number of homes 436,063. Number of farm homes 

 169,531. Per cent of farm homes 39.8. Approximate population in farm homes 

 823,478. 



Director of institutes. — George McKerrow, Madison. 



The board of regents of the State Universit}" is authorized by the 

 law of Wisconsin to "hold institutes for the instruction of citizens of- 

 this State in the various branches of agriculture. Such institutes 

 shall be held at such times and at such places as said board may direct. 

 The said board shall make such rules and regulations as it may deem 



