174 ANNUAL. REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



tutea reported, beiug 20 per cent, of the lecture force, and showing 

 that they were present at 30 per cent, of the institutes held. In 13 

 states and territories the entire institute work was performed by the 

 agricultural college and station men, and in live others more than 

 half of the force was made up of college and station officials. It is 

 evident that unless some means are devised for aiding the colleges 

 and stations in these states, that very soon the institute work must 

 be abandoned and what has been gained at so much cost and effort 

 will be lost. 



SOURCES OF SUPPLY. 



There are three possible sources of supply for the institute lec- 

 ture force. The first is from the faculties of the agricultural colleges 

 and the stafis at the agricultural experiment stations. The supply 

 from these sources, as the colleges and stations are at present or- 

 ganized, cannot be materially increased and is likely to diminish each 

 year, as these institutions expand their work. The second is^ for 

 these institutions to employ a special force of experts who shall be 

 field men, who shall represent them in the institute work, and also 

 be itinerant instructors in agriculture in the intervals between the 

 regular periods of institute service. Such a force could be indef- 

 initely increased, according to the appropriation that could be se- 

 cured for meeting their salaries and expenses. Such action on the 

 part of these institutions would be most advantageous to them and 

 be of great assistance to the institute work. 



The third method for enlarging the force of teachers, is, for the 

 State directors to search out capable farmers who have succeeded 

 along at least one line of agriculture, and train them for institute 

 teaching work. The supply of such men ought to increase each year 

 as better methods of agriculture become known and practiced and as 

 the colleges send out graduates to take up agricultural pursuits. 

 Most of these men have had excellent training along practical lines 

 which fits them for institute work as no mere theoretical knowledge 

 possibly could. They lack, however, an important qualification 

 which every capable teacher of agriculture must possess; the ability 

 to give the reason or explanation of results so as to get at the prin- 

 ciples that control and affect the result. They also need to know and 

 to use the exact methods in experimentation and interpretation of 

 the results that the skilled investigator employs. They must acquire 

 tlie scientific method, so as to be able to present in a convincing 

 way the principles that they advocate. They must adopt the method 

 that takes nothing for granted in an experiment; that leaves no gaps 

 unaccounted for, and no parts unexplained. 



