102 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



larger than during any previous year, but the weather during the last 

 week in January and much of the time in February was such as to 

 make it almost impossible to carry on the institute work, in fact, in 

 some cases more than half of the meetings had to be given up and 

 those that were held were but lightly attended, it being practically im- 

 possible for the farmers to reach the halls. From the fact that during 

 the weeks when the weather was so unfavorable a large number of meet- 

 ings were scheduled, the attendance in a considerable part of the coun- 

 ties was less than last year and the total attendance was greatly re- 

 duced, but notwithstanding this it exceeded that for 1906-7, by about 

 14,000, being more than 135,000. 



Until last year the railroads have furnished transportation to the 

 lecturers at one-half the usual fare, but this year it has been necessary 

 to pay full fare, thus considerably increasing the expenses of holding 

 the meetings. 



Before selecting lecturers or topics for the Farmers' Institutes, the 

 oflScers of each county institute society are requested to furnish a list 

 of the topics they wish discussed, and speakers are secured who can 

 handle the topics chosen and who will be likely to give satisfaction. 

 In selecting speakers upon topics relating to practical farming or fruit 

 growing, an endeavor is made to secure those who have been successful 

 in actual practice. During the year it has been found necessary to add 

 several speakers to the list and these have given excellent satisfaction, 

 although those who have been on the force for a number of years, 

 being better known, are naturally more called for. 



In a large number of counties the cooperation with the county super- 

 intendent of schools has been continued as. when proper arrangements 

 are made, the results have been very satisfactory. It has been custom- 

 ary for the county commissioner of schools to take part in the meetings 

 and in a large number of cases a speaker has been furnished from the 

 school funds for the afternoon and evening sessions of the one-day 

 institutes. During the forenoon and early part of the afternoon, the 

 speaker thus furnished, who is generally from one of the normal schools 

 or is the commissioner in an adjoining county, visits with the local 

 commissioner, the schools in the districts near where the institutes are 

 being held, and reaches the hall about the middle of the afternoon for 

 a talk upon educational matters and another talk in the evening. 



One state speaker is furnislied from the farmers' institute force for the 

 one-day institutes and he is expected to speak once at each session, 

 as well as to take part in the discussions and answer questions that 

 may be referred to him. It is expected that one local speaker will be 

 furnished for the morning and afternoon sessions to talk upon farm 

 topics as well as one for the evening, preferably a lady upon some 

 topic relating to the home. In arranging the program it is always 

 planned to have one or two pieces of music for the afternoon and 

 evening and readings can also be placed upon the program for each 

 session. It will generally be desirable to have all of the topics of 

 the forenoon and two of those in the afternoon relate to practical 

 farming, but nothing can be move desirable than to have one of those 

 in the afternoon and one or two in the evening along educational lines, 

 particularly if the cooperation of the county commissioner or local 

 principal can be secured. For the two-day meetings, much the same 



