248 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



in the important work of disseminating scientific information and 

 thereby increasing 11k> productive power of agricultural people every- 

 where throughout the United States, in the hope that many more 

 may be willing to aid in rendering this calling so attractive in its 

 surroundings and profitable as a pursuit, as to become the para- 

 mount desire of every man and woman that desires to live a com- 

 fortable and independent life. 



THE INSTITUTE OF RECENT ORIGIN. 



I have said that this is an educational institution of quite recent 

 origin having come into the educational field only about twenty 

 years ago. The fact is that it has only been recognized as being 

 entitled to a place among the educational institutions of the country 

 within the last ten years, and even yet its lack of system and its 

 variety in method of carrying on the work show that it still is in its 

 formative stage, and will require years of experience and careful gui- 

 dance before it will assume the full, compact, controllable and effect- 

 ive form which it must become before it will take its true place 

 among the great educational organizations of modern times. 



FARMERS' INSTITUTE SPECIALIST. 



To aid in effecting this organization, and consolidation of work, the 

 Congress of the United States recently created an office in the office 

 of Experiment Stations in the Department of Agriculture, called 

 Farmers' Institute Specialist. The purpose is to gather statistics 

 with regard to the work of the Farmers' Institutes in the several 

 states, and publish them for the information of the workers through- 

 out the country; to study the problems that the Institute Director 

 has to meet, and suggest such improvements in methods and changes 

 in plan as will be of service in perfecting the system and aid in 

 bringing about a common understanding as to the course that ought 

 to be pursued in order to secure the best results. 



This new office hopes to aid the Institute Directors by sending out 

 expert scientists from the Department from time to time to give 

 instruction along the lines of the latest discoveries of science, as 

 they relate to agriculture, to place these Directors in communi- 

 cation with the Institute lecturers of the country, and to aid in 

 educating a force of lecturers by means of literature and corres- 

 pondence, and by bringing them into communication with experts 

 who can give them instruction in their several specialties. The 

 office can become a kind of clearing house in Institute work, and 

 be a common center of reference for informatios and advice. 



