No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 245 



shall use, how the scarcity and increased cost of farm labor shall be 

 met, how insect enemies shall be controlled, how fungus growths 

 shall be overcome, how our animals shall be protected against the 

 disease germs that abound on every hand and threaten the destruc- 

 tion of our herds, what we shall do to secure moisture for our crops, 

 and where profitable markets can be found? These and many other 

 questions, equally pressing and important, have come to distress 

 the modern tiller of the soil, and now the man who once had no 

 anxiety or care with respect to his ability to gain a livelihood from 

 his farm, is most seriously concerned as to what he shall do to 

 insure certain and profitable crops from his rapidly deteriorating 

 fields. Many, some years ago, became desperate in their sense of 

 helplessness and inability to cope with the difficulties that sur- 

 rounded them. Not a few permitted themselves to be led by igno- 

 rant and loud demagogues into many foolish and ill-considered ways, 

 in the hope of some relief, would speedily be found either in politics 

 or in greenbacks, or silver or gold. Like persons who are desper- 

 ately sick, they were willing to try any nostrum which any irre- 

 sponsible charlatan might suggest. Like drowning men, they 

 clutched at any support, even a straw, in the hope that it would 

 sustain them until some one appeared to rescue them from their 

 peril. 



WHAT THE INSTITUTE DOES. 



The Farmers' Institute has come. It throws out life buoys to 

 these sinking men in the shape of valuable information which they 

 can seize and use. Some are laying hold on it and gradually it is 

 aiding them to regain the solid ground. 



What does the Institute do for a man? It teaches the farmer 

 how to discover the unprofitable cow; how to furnish a cheap and 

 well-adjusted ration, adapted to the securing of the particular prod 

 uct which he desires. The Institute teaches him what to plant, 

 and how, and when and why, how to plow and how to cultivate his 

 soil, the reason for every operation, and the purpose that it is 

 intended to subserve. It teaches him how to preserve his crops, 

 how to market them in good condition so as to bring the highest 

 price, how, most economically, to fertilize his fields, so as to cause 

 them to produce larger crops year after year, and steadily improve. 

 It shows him how to subdue the insect pests that threaten to destroy 

 his fruit and grain; how to breed his cows for milk, or butter, or 

 cheese; his sheep for wool or mutton; his horses for draft or speed; 

 his swine for bacon, or lard, or ham; his poultry for eggs, or meat, 

 or both. In short, it comes to the man in need, and cheers him up 

 with hope by teaching him the secrets of his art. It instills courage 

 into his hpflrt, »trpngrth into hia arm. brings joy into hia lifp bpnaiiRp 



