216 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



were held in that year in 43 States to the number of 2,772, with an 

 attendance of 819,995, and funds were contributed by the State legis- 

 latures for institute work to the amount of $145,650, and there was 

 received from other sources $17,474. This was the status of the work 

 when the department established the farmers' institute office. 



The progress made since then is seen in the report of the institute 

 specialist for the year ended June 30, 1912. During that year in- 

 stitutes were held in all of the States and Territories excepting 

 Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, and Porto Rico. The total number of 

 meetings was 7,079, covering 9,429 days and composed of 17,760 

 sessions. The attendance at the regular institutes was 2,483,028, 

 and the amount appropriated for their support was $516,072, not 

 counting sums contributed by individuals for rent of halls, enter- 

 tainment of lecturers, advertising, and other local purposes. 



As an outgrowth of the general or mixed institute there have 

 developed since 1902 the women's institute, institutes for young 

 people, the movable school of agriculture, the instruction train, the 

 round-up institute, the field demonstration, agricultural picnics, insti- 

 tute exhibits at local and State fairs, the agricultural club, and the 

 correspondence course. Attendance upon these special forms of in- 

 stitute activity in 1912 was 1,476,477, making the total attendance 

 at institutes of every kind during the year 3,959,505. The body of 

 expert lecturers in the employ of the State directors giving instruc- 

 tion in the institutes now numbers over 1,100. No such school of 

 instruction equal either in number and skill of its teachers or in the 

 number of adults attendant upon it exists anywhere else in the world. 



THE department's RELATION TO INSTITUTES. 



The work has been along the lines directed in the act authorizing 

 the employment of a specialist. Statistical data and other informa- 

 tion respecting farmers' institutes and other forms of agricultural 

 extension both in this country and abroad have been gathered and 

 prejDared for publication. Numerous addresses before farmers' asso- 

 ciations and in educational institutions have been delivered. Bulle- 

 tins and circulars upon agricultural extension have been prepared. 

 The proceedings of agricultural associations and conventions have 

 been edited and published. Officials connected with agricultural 

 extension work in the agricultural colleges, fair associations, State 

 libraries, railroad agricultural extension departments. State depart- 

 ments of agriculture, and other associations interested in agricul- 

 tural extension work have been visited and interviewed. Printed 

 information has been distributed, and the correspondence of the office 

 has been conducted. 



The institute specialist has for a number of years acted as secretary 

 of the committee on agricultural extension work of the Association of 



