266 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



scientific research in agriculture, chemistry and botany as ap])lied to 

 agriculture. Thus we hope and expect that as the years pass on 

 greater development, more thorough instruction in all of its lines will 

 be developed. 



Now, my friends, I shall not talk any more. It is your time to talk, 

 to develop any questions that may come before you. I thank you for 

 your attention. 



MR. STOUT: I don't want to force myself upon the audience as 

 the first speaker or one who has superior knowledge, but while I sat 

 here this forenoon I thought out a few lines that I noted down on 

 this paper and now whether I will be able to read them or not remains 

 to be seen. But listening to these discussions, some things have sug- 

 gested themselves that I noted down. While it seems like tlirashing 

 over old straw it is likely there is some grain left in the chaff. 



Continuing of the same opinion that T entertained and expressed at 

 previous meetings, it may be profitable to repeat that the theory that 

 the farmers in general have been neglecting the elementary in agri- 

 culture is not well founded. There is too much catering to the class 

 of agriculturists who have great estates and incomes to devote to 

 ornamentation and display. To present glowing i)ictures of mansions, 

 lawns, poultry plants, model farm buildings, costing hundreds of 

 thousands, is neither edifying or instructive to the average farmer who 

 must depend upon his own efforts with no other resources than that 

 taken out of the soil by his hands and his family's. The beautiful pic- 

 tures presented by Dr. Hunt of the Alpine scenes, the towering moun- 

 tains and glaciers presented to our view, we might desire to mount the 

 high pinnacles of those glaciers, but we cannot. They are like the 

 glowing pictures and discussions of some of our institute lecturers 

 whose practical experiences consists of a view from a distance. Our 

 schools are classified so as to reach all ages and conditions and it may 

 be advisable to obtain two kinds of instructors ; one group to instruct 

 agriculturists and another to visit rural districts, cross road villages 

 and isolated sections where primitive conditions prevail. In order to 

 overcome some of the inconveni^ices encountered in this work it may 

 be advisable for the Department to furnish conveyances on the order 

 of the old Conestoga wagons or prairie schooners, supplied with some 

 beds, blankets and robes and such conveniences as may suggest them- 

 selves while on the itinerary going from one place to another, and thus 

 avoid the theoretical work of farmers' institutes. There has been 

 complaint about institute speakers compounding the situation where 

 large audiences had assembled at night to hear the discussions, and 

 because the accommodations were limited and not equal to those fur- 

 nished in the cities at |?>.00 a day houses the lecturers went away with- 

 out carrying out the program. These are a few of the views I enter- 

 tain and if the Department can use any of these suggestions to im- 

 prove the agricultural instruction of rural communities they are wel- 

 come to them. 



ME. KAHLER: Mr. Chairman, our worthy Director has given us 

 a lot of statistics showing the development and improvement in insti- 

 tute work. It is easy to make assertions. Now I think it is our busi- 

 ness to give our ideas whether the institute is improving or retrograd- 

 ing. I have had the honor and misfortune of being an institute mana- 



