20 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



TWENTY-FIEST ANNUAL REPORT OF THE BUREAU OF 

 FARMERS' INSTITUTES' FOR SEASON OF 1914-1915 



Harrisbiirg, Pa., January 1, 1916. 

 To the Hon. Charles E. Patton, Secretary of Agriculture: 



Sir: I have the honor to present herewith the Twenty-first An- 

 nual Report of the Bureau of Farmers' Institutes. During the 

 past year the Farmers' Institute work was under the supervision 

 of Hon. A. L. Martin, who resigned, November 30. Therefore, it 

 gives me pleasure to make the following report: 



INSTITUTES AND MOVABLE SCHOOLS 



There were held the season ending June 1, 1915, in the different 

 counties, 456 days of Institutes and Schools, divided in 1162 sessions, 

 the total attendance at which was 183,400; attendance at Special In- 

 stitutes, 18,118, harvest home picnics, 32,600, making a grand total 

 in attendance of 216,000. Movable schools, continuing three to four 

 days each, were held in three counties, consisting of Columbia. 

 Montour and Cambria. These schools have continued to teach and 

 demonstrate lessons in dairying, liorticulture, poultry, domestic 

 science and home sanitation ; as a result of which a marked improve- 

 ment may be noted in dairying by the use of the Babcock test, the 

 unprofitable cows being eliminated from the herd, barn sanitation 

 and conveniences are taking the place of old and unsanitary methods. 

 Horticulture as developed by experts is being practiced by thou- 

 sands of farmers in the State with very satisfactory returns. 



As a result of teaching poultry at our Farmers' Institutes the 

 farm poultry of the State is being rapidly improved, the old mon- 

 grel hen is supplanted by the thoroughbred stock, fed and housed 

 in such a manner as to bring profitable results in both egg produc- 

 tion and poultry for the market. In home sanitation and domestic 

 science, health conditions and the preparation of foods, also high 

 phase of social life on the farm and demonstrations in cooking as 

 illustrations of convenient kitchen equipment were successfully dis- 

 cussed. 



FARM ADVISERS 



To give a slight idea of how the Farm Advisers are appreciated 

 by the farmers of the State, and the good they have accomplished, 

 we give herewith a few statistics of their existence, ending Novem- 

 ber 30, 1915 (the date on which the Advisers enter into the Farmers' 

 Institute work until the middle of March, 1916). During this time 

 7 665 farms were visited, advice and counsel given the farmers on 

 the individual problems that confronted them. The lady engaged 

 as an adviser on Home Sanitation and Household Economics has 

 been called for by Home Clubs, Civic Clubs, private homes and 

 schools. 



