396 REPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



With respect to query No. 2, as to more economical methods, 73 

 replied that the present system was satisfactory; 68 wished more 

 mone}' appropriated instead of less; and 106 were in faA-or of the 

 employment of more local speakers. 



To query No. 3, relative to increasing the supply of institute in- 

 structors, 77 replied, pay higher salaries; and 295 advised the use of 

 more local speakers. 



To query No. 4, as to improving the methods of instruction, 182 

 suggested the use of more illustrative material and demonstrations, 

 and 97 suggested the employment of lecturers with more practical 

 experience. 



To query No. 5, as to whether the people of their communities were 

 ready to establish institutes specially for women, 271 answered yes: 

 85 were undecided ; and 549 that they were not. 



To query No. 6, respecting institutes for young people, 213 answered 

 yes; 111 were undecided; and 580 that they were not. 



To query No. 7, 511 replied in favor of movable schools; 175 were 

 undecided ; and 233 were against. 



To query No. 8, 698 were in favor of the itinerant adviser and 

 instructor ; 99 were undecided ; and 149 against. 



To query No. 9, 475 replied that the farmers generally take the 

 bulletins from the State experiment station and the National Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture; 168 were not able to express an opinion; and 

 297 answered no. As to practicing the teaching of these bulletins, 429 

 replied that they did; 498 were uninformed; and 117 answered no. 



These replies, coming from all sections of the country, indicate 

 pretty accurately the sentiment of farming people respecting the 

 points submitted for their opinion. The movable school and the 

 itinerant adviser are approved by a large majority, while the women's 

 institute and an institute for young people are as yet too undeveloped 

 to be judged by their actual work. "Wliere they have been fairly tried 

 they are approved. 



In Illinois, out of 37 replies, 14 were in favor of women's insti- 

 tutes; 11 were undecided; and 13 were against them. In Indiana 15 

 were in favor of women's institutes; 2 were undecided; and 10 an- 

 swered no. In Nebraska 43 were in favor of women's institutes; 1 

 was undecided ; and 35 were against them. 



The young people's institutes have not yet been developed in any 

 State to test their character ; consequently the replies were not based 

 upon experience actually had, but were mere opinions unsupported 

 by any facts as to their working that the reporter had observed. 



Some kind of local organization was generally agreed by the corre- 

 spondents to be a necessity for the proper working of the institute 

 system. Teachers with practical experience were everywhere de- 

 manded, and a larger number of these were regarded as necessary for 



