128 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURfl 



In the distribution of the daily weather forecasts, the service has 

 received great aid from all of the telephone companies in the state. 

 The rural telephone is reaching out rapidly to the farming districts and 

 any rural subscriber, as well as the city man. can now get the weather 

 forecasts at 11 a. m., or after, by simply calling up his "central" and 

 asking for it. This service is promoted by the telephone companies 

 practically without cost to the state or government, because the tele- 

 phone companies find it makes their phones more desirable and in that 

 way increases their business. I have inaugurated and have had in opera- 

 tion in Michigan for some years, a very complete system of telephone 

 distribution, particular attention being given to reaching rural sub- 

 scribers. The value of the forecast in case of frost, a cold wave or of 

 rain during the growing and han^esting seasons is very great and as 

 the farmer is becoming acquainted with the Weather Bureau, he is 

 learning to appreciate this service more and more. 



The publishing of the monthly reports has been taken lOver by the 

 United States Weather Bureau, but their dissemination continues as 

 before; any citizen of Michigan who desires them and can show any 

 reason for their use, can secure these reports by asking for them. 



Besides the monthly reports, there has been issued a Special Climat- 

 ology of Michigan, which is published in three parts, one for the Upper 

 Peninsula, one for the western half of the Lower Peninsula and one 

 for the eastern half. 



These climatologies discuss the general climate of the state and give 

 in detail, for a long period of years, monthly and yearly temperature 

 averages and precipitation amounts. Last frosts in spring and first 

 in autumn for a number of places are also displayed by tables. Besides 

 meteorological data, a special reference is made to the topography and 

 river svstems of the state. 



C. F. SCHNEIDER, 



Section Director. 



Dated at Grand Rapids, Mich., June 30, 1911. 



REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 



President J. L. Snyder: 



Sir: — As never before, the farmers of Michigan seem to be alive to 

 the benefits that may be secured from Farmers' Institutes. From the 

 fact that there had been no increase in the amount appropriated for 

 Farmer's Institutes, it was evident from the very opening of the year 

 that it would not be possible to hold more institutes than in the previous 

 year and, as it had been necessarv for several seasons to restrict the 

 number of meetings, it was not deemed necessary nor advisable to urge 

 upon the local officers the holding of more institutes than in 1909-10. 

 Notwithstanding this, a considerable number of the counties asked for an 

 increase in their allotment and many more meetings could have been 

 iheld had the funds permitted. 



There has been no change in the method of looking after the local ar- 



