23G STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



HOWELL INSTITUTE. 



This institute was lield in the court-tiouse January 20th and 21st. Hon. 

 Edwin B. Wynans was chosen to preside. Each session was opened by prayer 

 and music. The attendance was large, the court liouse being crowded nearly 

 all the time, and quite a deep interest was taken in the subjects under 

 discussion. 



In opening the institute Judge Wynans made a brief informal address, ex- 

 tending a liearty welcome to the professors and others in behalf of the com- 

 mittee of arrangements. He said that any effort to promote the interests of 

 agriculture would be highly appreciated by that community. Their farmers 

 had made very rapid advancement during the past few years, and he knew of 

 no reason why they should not, as Avell as any other class, come to the front and 

 champion their own interests. As farmers they were coming to a truer con- 

 ception of the grandeur of their calling. He lioped that the exercises of the 

 institute would be interesting and of lasting benefit to the farmers of Living- 

 ston county. 



Mr. Theodore Welsker read a paper on "Bee Culture," in which he advised 

 the farmers to keep bees botii for the pleasure and profit they afforded. He 

 said that now it was not difficult for a beginner to obtain the requisite knowl- 

 edge, as there were several excellent journals devoted to the apiary, and also a 

 number of good books had been published relating to the same subject. He 

 argued that it was much more important tliat farmers should raise their own 

 honey from the fact that adulterations both of honey and syrups were so 

 extensively practiced. 



K. G. liaird, Secretary of the State Board of Agriculture, gave a lecture 

 entitled "Requisites of Successful Farming." (See lectures given at more 

 than one institute). 



FORENOON SESSION. 



Prof. A. J. Cook gave a lecture on the "Destruction of Injurious Insects." 

 (See lectures given at more than one institute.) 

 Mr. Geo. 1^. Wilkinson, of Marion, read the following essay on 



IMPROVEMENTS IX WASTE PLACES. 



Land is plenty in America. — Enough and to spare. Hence in the minds of 

 some people grave doubts exist as to tlie practicability of exi>euding much 

 money, tiiat is, labor, upon land that recpiires more than the ordinary process 

 of chopping, logging, &c. ; especially since there is some demand abroad for 

 American frogs. Frog culture, however, has its drawbacks. One of these is 

 the fact that it is invariably combined with mosquito raising. Fevers, also, 

 might al)ound in localities where frogs were raised ; this, however, depends upon 

 certain circumstances which we will not enumerate. 



Land which produces the above mentioned crops, here in Michigan we denote,. 



