330 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



urged to be present, ask questions and take part in the discussions, 

 thus getting the whole neighborhood interested — men, women and 

 children, and in this way bring them under the droppings of some 

 agricultural knowledge, and new ideas that will set them think- 

 ing as they return to the farm. 



As there are others to follow me on the question of local manage- 

 ment, I will make this paper short. As I do so, you will pardon me 

 as I make some personal allusions to my own experiences during the 

 past twelve years in overseeing the work of the institutes in my 

 county, which have ranked — if not first — among the first, as the 

 records of the Department will show, in interest and attendance of 

 any county in the State. For some years the work was left entirely 

 for the member of the Board of Agriculture representing the county, 

 with such help as he could enlist among the more progressive 

 farmers of the localities where the institutes were to be held. But 

 few, indeed, were the farmers in those early days of our institutes, 

 even among our best farmers, that believed any good would come out 

 of this new movement to teach "book farming," as they seemed 

 pleased to call the efforts that were being put forth by the Board of 

 Agriculture to better the condition of the farming classes. 



Many good farmers stood aloof and turned a cold shoulder to 

 every effort we were making to better the condition of the tillers 

 of the soil; and if they attended our meetings at all, it seemed to be 

 more for the purpose of criticising what was said and done rather 

 than admit that there was anything for them to learn from discus- 

 sions of the simple questions pertaining to the farm and farm life. 

 But, thanks to persistent efforts of the old Board of Agriculture, 

 and the now very efficient Department of Agriculture, those days 

 and years have gone into history, and the men who then looked upon 

 our work with suspicion and some contempt, fearing we might lead 

 their sons astray into the wilds and mists of "book farming," are 

 now, not only better farmers, but our most earnest supporters of the 

 institutes, and each locality is vieing with the other as to which shall 

 get the next one. Our experience during these years has taught 

 us that the county chairman is an important factor in the line of 

 making the institute a success or failure. But," thanks to the wis- 

 dom of the Department, he is no longer alone responsible for its 

 success, but has associated with him a representative of each agri- 

 cultural organization in the county, whose help he very much needs. 

 But even they depend largely upon the chairman to attend to the 

 details, and expect him to appoint committees, help make out the 

 programs, look after the payment of bills, entertain the State 

 speakers and local help, the securing and arrangement of the hall, 

 and dozens of other matters that will need looking after weeks and 

 months before the time of holding the institutes. The newspaper 



