72 STATE BOARD OP AGRICULTURE. 



of Eggs in the Diet." The lecturer took up not only the different methods 

 of preparing eggs but also gave especial attention to the consideration 

 of the food value of eggs. Although it was in a measure incidental, 

 the food value of milk in tlie diet was also considered in connection 

 with the use of milk and eggs in certain dishes. The lecturers were 

 furnished with mimeograph outlines giving directions for the prepara- 

 tion of eggs in various ways; and also for the preservation of eggs. 

 These outlines w^ere supplied to those in attendance at the meetings. 



The topic most generally used by the local speakers at the afternoon 

 sessions of the women's congresses was, "The Selectio]i and Care of 

 Household Utensils." Tlie choice of topics was generally very satis- 

 factory and the ladies to whom the topic was assigned at the various 

 institutes handled it very creditably. Many valuable suggestions and 

 heli)ful ideas were brought out especially where they were able to secure 

 exhibits of utensils not commonlv found in farm homes. 



COOPERATING WITH COUNTY AGENTS. 



In the counties having county agricultural agents the locating and 

 arranging of the institutes w^as left in their charge and, in most cases, 

 the lecturers were the agents in neighboring counties, who had arranged 

 for an exchange of services. Thus, the speakers at the one-day institutes 

 in Van Buren county consisted of the county agents in Allegan, Berrien 

 and Kalamazoo counties for each of w^hom the Van Buren county agent 

 attended an equal number of institutes. In addition to a considerable 

 saving in the cost of holding the institutes this system of exchanging 

 speakers has many valuable features. We feel however that when a 

 dozen or more institutes are held in a county it is asking too much of 

 a county agent to attend these meetings and an equal number in other 

 counties, especially when a number of extension schools are held. Not 

 only does it interfere seriously with the regular work of the county 

 agent to be called upon to devote five or six weeks during the winter 

 to attending institutes and similar meetings, but he is not able to 

 give the necessary attention to arranging for and advertising the in- 

 stitute meetings in his own count}'. This is shown by the appended 

 table of statistics giving the attendance at the meetings in the different 

 counties, since the number present at the one-day institutes in 1916-17 

 in the counties which do not have a county institute showed a con- 

 siderable increase over the average for the previous five years. On the 

 other hand, the attendance at the one-day institutes in counties having 

 an agricultural agent shows a marked decrease in the average attendance 

 per session. 



In the Upper Peninsula the direction of the institutes has been in 

 charge of Mr. J. Wade Weston, Assistant Leader of Farm Agents for 

 that section, and the meetings have been carried on by Mr. Weston and 

 the county agents through exchanges similar to those made use of in the 

 Lower Peninsula. The attendance reported is not an accurate index 

 of the interest and attendance, since instead of there being only one 

 session at most places as is shown by the attendance reported, the. re- 

 mainder of the day was spent in giving- demonstrations of various kinds, 

 and the attendance at these sessions is not reported, being counted as 

 county agent work. 



