OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 743 



year before. The attendance at the regiUar institutes in 40 States 

 reporting was 2,188.040, as against 2,13T,8()2 for the same States the 

 previous year. If the States that have not yet reported show an 

 attendance equal to that of the vear 1909, the total for the past year 

 will reach 2.291,703, a gain of 50,778. 



The appropriation in 40 States for institutes for the year was 

 $380,120. 04. The amount for the previous year for these States was 

 $323,482.90, showing an increase for the past year of $02,043.04. If 

 the other States not reporting equal their appropriations for 1909, 

 the total for 1910 Avill amount to $408,309.03, a much larger sum than 

 has heretofore been given for institute support in any single year in 

 the history of the institute movement. 



In addition to carrying on the work of the regular institutes the 

 States have been maintaining numerous special meetings of institute 

 character. Several of these special forms of activity are rapidly 

 becoming of such importance as to require organizations of their own 

 to be specially equipped for rendering the particular kind of service 

 that each interest requires. One of these special forms is the mov- 

 able school of agriculture. Ninety-one of these schools were held 

 last year, with an attendance of 05,977. Field demonstration is also 

 rapidly coming into use as a most effective method of teaching agri- 

 culture to farming people. One State reports an attendance of 1,100 

 persons upon these demonstrations and others held meetings of this 

 character with great advantage, but have failed to indicate the num- 

 ber in attendance. 



The agricultural train is another form of institute activity that has 

 developed with great rapidity and promises to be an effective means 

 of disseminating agricultural information. Twenty-six trains are 

 reported to have been run during the year, with an attendance of 

 182.745. To equip and conduct an instruction train so as to serve 

 in the best possible way the interests of farming people requires care^ 

 ful planning as to routes to be taken and subjects to be presented 

 and a special outfit of men and material. There is room here for 

 special study by experts to make this character of work most efficient. 



Four hundred and one women's institutes were held during the 

 year, with an attendance of 4,850. This is a comparatively new field 

 of education and one that is worthy of special attention by institute 

 directors. In developing this form of extension the institute is en- 

 deavoring to direct and strengthen that which underlies all improve- 

 ment in rural affairs — the character and influence of the home. In- 

 stitutes for women, therefore, because of their extreme importance, 

 ought to have recognition in future extension work equal, at least, 

 with those for men, and institute workers should devote themselves 

 witli ns great earnestness and energy to the development of this form 

 of extension activity as they have exhibited in developing institutes 

 for men. 



One hundred and sixty sessions of institutes for young people 

 were held during this year, with an attendance of 21,422. This is 

 anotlier field that has been much neglected and that needs special 

 attention by all who are interested in or responsible for rural 

 betterment. 



The directors in two States report that 50,000 school children were 

 visited and addressed by their institute lecturers during the year. 

 A number of others report similar service, but do not give the schools 



