No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 28S 



proposed societies for those which are now drawing this hundred 

 dollars from the county. We know of a number of instances where 

 they are doing that, and it seems to me that we can't organize too 

 quickly. We ought to have that other hundred dollars that the 

 good brother says he begs still. We need it. 



The institute work is an educational work, and referring again to 

 what was said by the Secretary, I like his suggestion in the way of 

 programs also. The good brothers adjoining me in Westmoreland 

 county — we tried an experiment something along that line, but his 

 suggestion goes further, and more, his experience also goes further 

 than that of the good brother, and I think it a good idea to follow 

 out in the printing of the programs. I think that the programs 

 should be printed with the subjects upon each program together 

 with the names of the speakers, the dates, etc., of every institute 

 in the county. We have tried that and it was a success, although 

 I feel that we can improve that by putting on to that program the 

 subjects that the local speakers are to discuss and preparing a local 

 program for every meeting. The plan that we followed last year 

 was, I think, a success, and I believe a little in advance of what we 

 had before, because we took just the subjects that were suited to the 

 audience that was present. You know in some places where insti- 

 tutes are held, the audience may perhaps be an audience interested 

 in dairying, while in another place their interest is in some subject 

 entirely different. That afforded the opportunity of taking from the 

 program the subjects suited for the persons present, and we tried 

 to do that, and I think it worked admirably. 



Now another matter, I endeavored to arrange when they were to- 

 gether in the June meeting — I said to them, "Do you want an in- 

 stitute?" And if they said yes, I inquired, "What are you going 

 to do for that institute? Are you going to furnish the hall or are 

 you not?" If possible we required them to furnish the hall free, 

 though I have had to pay for it on various occasions, and even some- 

 times been obliged to put my hand in my pocket too. It don't go 

 very good when we have to expend our time and then in addition 

 pay out money of our own for expenses. It seems to me that by 

 forming these organizations and going to work together we can 

 carry on our institutes very successfully, and more than that, can 

 coml3ine with them more educational work that is so absolutely nec- 

 essary for the farmer to-day, and in the way of music I would say 

 that in some places we must have music, must have a band and 

 some places pay for it, as the good brother has suggested. I have 

 come down to this. I say to them if you want to furnish us with 

 entertainment, very well and good, we will thank you very much 

 if you do, but if you can't do it without having us pay a large amount 

 for it, we must omit it. You know farmers are often good musi- 

 cians and in many places we have just as satisfactory music as 

 though a band was employed. 



MR. BEARDSLEE: Mr. Chairman, I have been to the institute 

 found-ups a good many times and I do not know as I have ever 

 occupied the floor before. In five minutes I will say all I wish to 

 say. When I was twenty-two years of age I was put in charge of 

 a school-house over a large district, and after I had engaged to 

 work through the winter at my first school, the district was di- 

 vided, and I was put in over the advanced scholars. I worked along 



