REPORT OF FARMERS' INSTITUTE WORK, 1909. 



By T. B. PARKER, Director. 



During the Institute year, from December 1, 1908, to November 

 1, 1909, there have been held 247 institutes under the direction of 

 the State Department of Agriculture. In addition to the above, the 

 State Department of Agriculture assisted in 12 institutes held under 

 the auspices of M. V. Richards, Industrial Agent for the Southern 

 Bailway, and 8 special institutes in Brunswick, Cabarrus and Bladen 

 counties. 



Of the above institutes held under the direction of the State Board 

 of Agriculture, 159 were regular Farmers' Institutes for men, 73 

 institutes for women, 12 Orchard Demonstration Institutes, 2 Corn 

 Judging Day Institutes, and one Bound-up Institute, or Farmers' 

 Convention, of three days, holding separate meetings for both men 

 and women. 



Institutes have been held during the year in 93 of the 98 counties — 

 all except Carteret, Camden, Craven, Dare and Jones. 



With each year the number of institutes increases, as the following 

 table shows : 



1898 — 28 institutes in 27 counties. 



1903 — 17 institutes in 16 counties. 



1904 — 58 institutes in 58 counties. 



1905 — 79 institutes in 76 counties. 

 1906 — 136 institutes in 91 counties. 

 1907 — 169 institutes in 93 counties. 

 1908 — 234 institutes in 95 counties. 

 1909 — 247 institutes in 93 counties. 



To the above should be added the 12 institutes that were held in 

 conjunction with Mr. M. V. Bichards, Industrial Agent for the South- 

 ern Bailway, the 8 special institutes, and also 2 institutes held for 

 the colored people, making a total of 269 institutes held, which is 35 

 more than were held up to December 1 of last year, and last year ex- 

 ceeded any previous year by 66. 



Notwithstanding this increase in number of institutes, applications 

 for others came in, but too late to get in the regular schedules. 



From the expressions of appreciation given at the institutes and 

 the general uplift in agricultural methods in sections where institutes 

 have been held most, it is evident that the work is held in high esteem 

 by our best farmers. The scope of this work should be increased 

 as rapidly as means and suitable lecturers will permit. Already in 

 many counties the farmers are asking for an increased number of 

 institutes for next year. 



