The Bulletin. 



REPORT OF FARMERS' INSTITUTE WORK, 1908. 



By TAIT BUTLER. Director. 



During the last year — December 1, 1907, to December 1, 1908 — 

 there have been held 234 institutes under the direction of the State 

 Department of Agriculture. Of these 151 have been regular Far- 

 mers' Institutes for men, 14 Orchard Demonstration Institutes, 68 

 Institutes for Women, and 1 five-day Short Course Dairy School. 

 In addition, a round-up institute, or, as it is generally known, State 

 Farmers' Convention, was held, embracing separate meetings for 

 both men and women. 



Institutes have been held in 95 of the 98 counties of the State — all 

 except Dare, Carteret and New Hanover. The number of institutes 

 held this year has been greater than ever before, as the following will 

 show : 



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. 



Counting special institutes, there has been an increase of 66 over 

 last year, which exceeded any previous year by 33. 



The institutes for men, exclusive of round-up or dairy short course, 

 held during this year numbered 165, exceeding those of any pre- 

 vious year by 46, while 68 institutes were held for women, exceed- 

 ing any previous year by 19. 



Even with this large increase it was not possible to supply the 

 demands for institutes. While a few institutes were held in new 

 localities, where none had previously been held and from which no 

 requests for institutes had been made, still the total number of 

 requests considerably exceeded the total number of institutes which 

 it was possible for us to hold. 



From the experience of the last few years it is plain that in the 

 near future not less than an average of at least three institutes to 

 the county will supply the demand. 



