FARMERS" INSTITUTES 



In the prepafiltion of this report of the Institutes I have endeavored to carrr 

 out as fully as possible the general plan presented in the following resolution 

 adopted by the Faculty : 



'■^ Eesolvecl, That the printed report of the Farmers' Institutes for 1876 shall contain 

 the following, anfl in the following order: 



"1st. A general history of the enterprise, up to the meeting of the Institutes, 

 including the aetion of tlie Faculty and of tlie Board of Agriculture, and the names 

 of all the places that applied for an Institute. 



"2d. A history of each Institute, including the order of exercises, the address of 

 welcome, the papers of the members of the Faculty that were read but once, the 

 ]">apers otlier than by members of the Facidty, and the discussions on the same, 

 motions and resolutions at the close of the meeting. 



"3d. The papers by members of the Faculty that were read at more than one Insti- 

 tute. Following each paper shall be given the discussions on that paper, in the 

 chronological order of the Institutes, as far as possible." 



Personally, I feel under great obligations to Mr. J. W. King of the Lansing 

 Repulilican, for the valual)lo assistance rendered while this report has boon pass- 

 ing through the press. For his excellent report of the discussions of the Insti- 

 ttitos which he attended, he lias the sincere thanks of every member of the 

 Facultv. 



R. G. BAIRD, 

 * Secretary. 



GENERAL I1I8T0RY, INCLUDING THE ACTION OF THE COLLEGE 



FACULTY AND THE STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE 



RELATING TO THE INSTITUTES. 



A new and important feature of the work of the Agricultural College during 

 the year 1875 has been the inauguration and carrying forward of a scheme for 

 the holding of Farmers' Institutes in ditferont portions of tlie State. As the 

 farming comumnity has taken a very lively interest in those Institutes, and 

 many inquiries arc ]:)eing made regarding them, we propose here to state the 

 objects which the State Board of Agriculture and the Faculty of the College 

 liad mainly in view in inaugaratuig those meetings, and also the maimer in 

 which those held during the month of January, 18 T6, were conducted. In order 

 that the benefits of those Institutes may not be confined to the localities wliere 

 they were ]ield, but extended to agriculturists generally, there is given in this 



