272 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off, Doc. 



hurried program of the one-day session. So that on the ground of 

 good work, and of getting and keeping in touch with the men and 

 women whom the Farmers' Institute is to benefit, the Department 

 should, wherever possible, have a two-day session. 



Then, too, 1 believe the greatest good is accomplished by the two- 

 day session for another reason; often a farmer has a certain duty 

 to attend to at a fixed time, and this may be just at a time to 

 interfere with the one-day session, and prevent his attending; if 

 he gives the Farmers' Institute the preference his business suffers, 

 and this, of course, is hardly to be thought of. In the two-day 

 session he has an opportunity to attend at least some of the sessions. 



The evening sessions are usually confined to education and home 

 topics, and often the farmer who cannot attend on that particular 

 day of the one-day institute, looks over the program, and says, 

 "Well, I see nothing there to interest me; I guess I won't go," and he 

 stays away; and the institute is not a success because the attend- 

 ance is small. In the two-day institute this is largely overcome; 

 the day sessions can be devoted to practical topics, and the evening 

 to the entertainment, and j'et there will be something to attract 

 the man who can find time to attend but one or two sessions. 



Now, I could give you other reasons, but what is the solution? 

 Now, I know full well that in Pennsylvania by reason of the appro- 

 priation, some of the counties are entitled to an odd day. Now, 

 in counties that are contiguous to each other, where the county line 

 is only imaginary, why not let the managers of the two counties 

 put their heads together, and combine their odd days, and hold an 

 institute somewhere near the county line, so that both counties can 

 have the benefit of a two-day institute? It could be held, say in 

 Wayne this year, and in Warren next year, for example. What 

 would the county line amount to in that community? Where that 

 is not practical, as it is not, in some counties, why not arrange with 

 our worthy secretary to allow the appropriation to lie over another 

 year, and hold a two-day institute every two years? I don't think 

 there could be any objection to this, and it would be better for the 

 community, and better for the lecturer. 



Now, I expect I had better stop right here, A man usually talks 

 too much; but I want to say to our county managers, if you think 

 you must have a one-day meeting, please do not have it in some 

 little town, remote from the railroad, but hold it in some place 

 where it is convenient for the speaker to get to, and to get away to 

 attend the next meeting. One of the worst features of this one-day 

 meeting is that is usually conflicts with the preceding meeting, and 

 also with the succeeding one. 



HOW CAN WE MAKE OUR INSTITUTES MORE HELPFUL TO 



THE FARMERS? 



By H. W. NORTniTp, Daltnn, Pa. 



I regret very much that I have no paper here to present to you in- 

 stead of talking to you in this way. I wish I could have given a 

 little more thought to this important topic. When we get up to 



