No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 77 



Tho Steady gi'owih of Ww Farmers' Institutes is noted by the con- 

 stantly increasing attendance. Very lively interest was manifested 

 by the farmers and their families, who, in many instances, drove ten 

 to fifteen miles over bad roads and through storm and snow to join 

 with the State instructors on the programme, and kindly co-operat- 

 ing in the work of developing the best thought and most practical 

 manner of conducting the various lines of farm operations. 



The Ladies Session has become an established feature. At this 

 session a lady usually occupies the chair. The entire programme is 

 filled v.'ith topics relative to home comfort, health, social conditions, 

 etc. The education of country children is also earnestly discussed, 

 and i)roperly so. No class of people in Pennsylvania realize more 

 fully than the farmers the need of a more thorougli education. The 

 great mass of their children are not receiving this education, which, 

 in my judgment, should largely be along the lines of what would 

 seem to be (heir life's work. At all the institutes held in 1900, an 

 almost unanimous vote was in favor of a township high school, or 

 a centralized township school. It is most gratifying to note that 

 the legislature has enacted laws appropriating money for townslhip 

 high schools, and has also passed an act providing for centralized 

 township schools. We feel quite safe in the prediction that some- 

 where, not far from the farm home, the farmers' children will have 

 access to a school having a class in agricultural chemistry, botany, 

 animal life, insects, birds, etc., thus demonstrating and teaching their 

 ^ ari(uis relations to farm life. 



AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 



In the work of collecting a list of county and local Agricultural 

 Societiee, it is deemed worthy of note to mention that more than 

 usual interest and care has been manifested by the farmers in the 

 ]troparation of various products for exhibition, which procured for 

 the exhibitor greater space and better facilities for the display of 

 farm products. Expert judges to pass upon the merits of all compet- 

 ing articles is rapidly becoming the rule. Possibly in no year within 

 the last decade were the exhibits so full and complete and the at- 

 tendance so large as that of 1902. This may be accounted for, 

 partially, by the unprecedented prosperity which has attended most 

 lines of farm operations the past year. 



The following report shows that 1,024,250 people were in 

 attendance. These societies own 50 one-half mile race tracks and 9 

 one-third mile tracks. Tiiey collected in membership fees, .f 2,297.10; 

 amount paid in premiums, .fll.S.347.93. The following is a detailed 

 report : 



