20 



A iv^'ular system of institutes is now in force in Oregon, Washington, and 

 Idalu). The latter States receive support for institute worlc by regular appro- 

 priations from the State legishitures. Oregon as yet does not receive such 

 support, I believe. In our own State the work is g)-owing rapidly and demands 

 a still more liberal support, so that more instructors may be employed. Trans- 

 portation companies are doing much to assist in overcoming the large expense 

 necessary to reach remote parts of the State. It costs nearly as much to go 

 from the northern end of our State to the southern as it does to go to Chicago 

 and requires nearly as much time. It is not an uncommon occurrence to travel 

 by rail 800 miles to attend a farmers' institute in our State. 



These are a few of the thoughts whi<'h occur to me which may be of interest 

 to others who no doubt have equally difficult problems to solve in carrying for- 

 ward this grand system of education which means so much in the development 

 of the great resources of the country as well as in the increase of human happi- 

 ness and comfort. 



ILLINOIS. 



By A. B. HosTETTER, tSpringfield. 



One hundred and five institutes were held ; G3 of these were of two days' and 42 

 of three days' dui*ation. Total number of sessions, (JOO ; total attendance, 84,(>81 ; 

 total sum spent directly for institutes, .flO.f.T."..?!). This does not include office 

 expenses, salaries,* nor expenses of directors. Seventy-five dollars is ap])r()- 

 priated to each county by the State, and twelve county boards made additional 

 appropriations varying from '$'>() to .$200 each. 



No salaried speakers were employed. Nineteen members of the faculty of 

 the college of agriculture attended a total of 159 sessions, SO per cent of the 

 counties securing help from the college. 



The other speakers, with a few exceptions secured from other States, were 

 taken from the ranks of active farmers, housekeepers, and teachers. 



Sixty county superintendents of schools cooperated with the county organiza- 

 tion in promoting the institute and interesting the farm boys in corn growing. 



Seventy-six per cent of the institutes had exhibits, and seventy institutes had 

 domestic science represented on their programmes, and the majority of these 

 gave one entire session to the subject. The subjects which were made a spe- 

 cial feature for the year were maintaining soil fertility and teaching agriculture 

 in the public school. 



A new, live, and special feature was the exhibition of and awai-d of prizes on 

 corn grown by boys under 18 years of age from pure seed sent out by the insti- 

 tute. This corn-growing contest greatly increased the attendance of young 

 people at the institute, and was regarded so favor:d)ly that corn was sent again 

 to 5,521 boys in the spring of 1904, to be grown and exhibited at the institutes 

 of 1904-5. 



Two hundred traveling libraries were kept in circulation during the j'ear, 

 visiting over oOO connnunities. 



The class work at the annual round-up institute, February 23-25, 1904, 

 although not a new feature, was extended to include classes in live stock, with 

 specimens of horses, cattle, and hogs, for comparison and demonstration ; class 

 in poultry ; class in dairying, with demonstrations of testing, separating milk, 

 and making butter, all carried on on the rostrum of a church; classes in domes- 

 tic science, in corn judging, and in iKirticulture. 



We have found that there is great educational value in the doing of things 

 before an institute audience. 



Twenty thousand copies of an annual report of .300 pages were printed and 

 distributed. During the months of April and May, 1904, conferences of the 



