16 



tlic imlofatigablo offoi'ts of those who have liocu ami are hiboring in this impor- 

 tant field, the barriers are being gradnally but permanently lowered, and to-day 

 that hope which "springs eternal in the human l)reast" is being realized in a 

 measure greater, perhaps, than our most sanguine expectations in the improve- 

 ment of general agricultural conditions throughout the country. 



Some sections have, of course, benefited to a larger extent than others, 

 because of the movement having been eariier instituted, or, as is the case in 

 some parts of our southern country, the soils are so fertile and the climatic 

 conditions so conducive to luxuriant growth as to render obscure, to some 

 extent, the necessity for increased effort on tlie part of our people. Increased 

 competition in the world's marlvcts, however, combined with narrower margins 

 in profits in all classes of agricultural products, is deepening to the conviction 

 that to keep abreast we must become more and more educated along all lines 

 pertaining to maximum production. This, 1 may say, is the gist of our efforts 

 in the institute movement all over the country, and in our southern section it 

 may be said that success is attending our labors, but we are in need of more 

 help. The appreciation of the benefits of the institute is as yet more apparent 

 in Canada and in sections of this country above the " Mason and Dixon " line, 

 resulting in large appropriations made (by those sections) for the success- 

 ful carrying on of the work. The most effective help that this organization could 

 afford us is their presence with us in our midst, in oi-der not only to encourage 

 us and our peojile, but to imi)ress our authorities with the great necessity for 

 an increased amount of money to make greater progress possible, an expenditure 

 which I consider one of, if not, the most valuable investments any agricultural 

 State could make. I, therefore, have the honor of bringing a message from his 

 excellency Governor Blanchard, of Louisiana, to hold your next annual meeting 

 in Louisiana, the richest agricultural State in the South and of the Union, and 

 in our beautiful capital city of Baton Rouge, situated upon the bluffs of yon 

 great Father of Waters. 



Come to our capital city for your next meeting, and come as our friends and 

 neighbors and with the spirit <»f sympatliy and lu']i)fulness and as coworkers in 

 a great educational movement for the American home and the American farm. 

 Come and receive a royal southern welcome — a warm-hearted, hospitable, 

 Louisiana welcome. 



I thank you, gentlemen, for your very kind attention. 



At 10 o'clock the convention adjourned until Wednesday morning, October 19. 



Morning Session, Wednesday, October 1'), 1904. 

 The convention met at lO.l-l o'clock a. m., Mr. Kaufman in the chair. 

 Preparation of Programmk of the Meeting — Eight-minute Reports. 



The Secretary. I would like to say. first, that we probably have had more 

 trouble in regard to the eight-minute reports, so far as our progrannne is 

 concerned, than in any other particular during the last five years of our history. 

 Delegates from the different States, especially men representing their States 

 for the first time, are very apt to make the mistake of thinking that when called 

 upon for an eight-minute report they must start away back as far as the 

 institute system of the State goes and bring it up to the present date, believing 

 that their experience has beeen unique, whereas as a matter of fact the experi- 

 ence has been much the same in every State and Province. We have not time 

 in a general meeting of this kind, where we have so much to do, to hear the life 

 work of eyery State farmers' institute. The result is we have had to impress 



