10 ANNUAL. REPORT OF THE . Off. Doc. 



years before lliose responsible for their control, were able to formu- 

 late a course of study which would meet the requirements of the 

 country, or were able to secure the kind of teachers, competent to 

 impart the information needed. After these requirements had 

 been, in a measure, met by these new institutions, it was discovered 

 that comparatively few of the young men of »he country were willing 

 to pursue the course of study, in agriculture, which had been pre- 

 scribed. Whilst unquestionably, there was a pressing demand for 

 information on agricultural matters, on the part of a large number 

 cf those who were actively engaged in farming, there was compara- 

 tively little demand for this knowledge, on the part of the young peo- 

 ple in the schools. Instructors in these Colleges, also, soon discov- 

 ered, that there was comparatively little reliable information to be 

 had, in what is now known as ''Agricultural Science," or the sciences 

 in their relation to agriculture. 



Out of these conditions, and to supply the needs for more exten- 

 sive and accurate information, the Congress passed, what is known 

 as the Hatch Experiment Station Act, which provided for the erec- 

 tion and support of Agricultural Experiment Stations in the several 

 States, for scientific research and experimentation in agriculture. 

 Since their establishment, and through the work of these Stations, 

 the stock of agricultural know ledge has been greatly enlarged, and, 

 is being daily, rapidly increased. This knowledge, if disseminated, 

 will be to the great advantage of the agricultural interests of ine 

 country. 



The problem that now requires solution, is that of getting this in- 

 formation which is in existence, and such other, as it is discovered, 

 before the agricultural people of the country. Bulletins containing 

 this information are being issued by the Stations, and by the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, at Washington, but the large majority of the 

 farming people are not reached by this method. This is notably true 

 as regards the less progressive farmers, and the women and youth 

 in the farmers' families. 



THE INSTITUTE A DISSEMINATOR OF INFORMATION. 



The Farmers' Institute has been organized to supplement the 

 Agricultural College and the Experiment Station, in the work of 

 disseminating information on agricultural subjects throughout the 

 land. Its function is to take up-to-date, reliable and valuable 

 truth, as it relates to agriculture; to carry it out to assemblages of 

 people of both sexes and of all ages, and present it before them 

 orally, in condensed and attractive form, and in shape to be applied 

 in their everyday life; affording, at the same time, opportunity to 

 all, who are interested, to ask questions on points that they do not 

 fully understand. 



