27 



Twenty-eight uien wert> on the institute staff, 1.*? from \ho agricultural college 

 and experiment station and ir» others. Throe Iccttn-crs wn-o cmployod from 

 other States. No woman's work has been introduced, owing to the disapproval 

 of the board. I hope, however, to overcome the oppositioti soon and take up 

 woman's work. 



Our aim is to giv«> the farmers something they can use, and to accomplish 

 this we use as much illustrative and demonstrative material as possible. A 

 passenger car, fitted ui) in what might be called an institute laboratory, has been 

 used in a lunnber of meetings, and has given excellent results. (See Thirty- 

 fifth Annual Report of the Missouri State Board of Agriculture, p. 15.) Our 

 soil, climate, and crops are so diversified that we nmst consider a very wide 

 range of subjects, which makes it very difficult for us to secure the necessary 

 help iu our institute work, but I am glad to say that we can report material 

 progress during the year and an increased interest in our work among the 

 farmers of the State. 



NEBRASKA. 

 By E. A. Burnett, Lincoln. 



The institutes in Nebraska have become prominent factors in the agricultural 

 development of the State. 



The institute season began November 23, 190?,. and closed March 24, 1904. 

 Forty-three one-day institutes and 49 two-day institutes, total 92, with a total 

 of 330 sessions, were held. The total attendance was 26,000 people, figured 

 according to Government methods. Institutes were held in 57 counties. The 

 State appropriation for institute work is .$G,(X)0 per year. Institutes are oper- 

 ated under the regents of the university, and not under a special enacted law. 



Ten men connected with the university and station did institute work, spend- 

 ing 52 days in the work. Fourteen other lecturers were employed by the State, 

 these giving their entire time to the institutes while in the work. We combine 

 local and central organizations, holding no institute except on request, and 

 always ask the community to bear a part of the expense, generally amounting 

 to the hall rent, local advertising, and local entertainment of speakers at hotels. 

 Dates are made at least six weeks in advance and institutes arranged in series. 



The subjects of .soil tillage, varieties of wheat, oats, and corn, and of forage 

 crops are all prominent. Alfalfa growing is a leading subject in many local- 

 ities, and the efforts of the institute force is constantly exerted to extend the 

 area of alfalfa. The breeding and selection of seed corn is a prominent factor 

 in our institutes and many exhibits of seed are made for purposes of competi- 

 tion. These exhibits are judged by a competent man on the institute force. 

 In a few places contests among the boys in growing corn are being carried on. 



The treatment of animal disease is one of paramount importance in Nebraska 

 and ably treated at our institutes. 



Being a great live-stock State, the questions of feeding cattle, sheep, and 

 hogs are much discussed. During the regular season we employ two speakers 

 to talk on economic pork production and one man to talk cattle feeding when- 

 ever such a man is available. 



Questions of crop i-otations and soil fertility are coming to be much discussed, 

 especially in the older sections of the State, where land is now high in price 

 and rentals corresi)ondingly high. 



Poultry products form a leading factor in our industry and receive attention 

 from the institute platfoi-m. 



Recently we are giving attention also to the rearing of horses. 



