50 



take the work. The experiments may embrace horticulture, dairying, cattle 

 feeding, crop grf)\\ing, and other features of farm practice, to lie conducted 

 during the season and reported at the next meeting. Such experiments can be 

 readily visited and inspected by tli(> members of the institutes during the year 

 and the progress of the tests be seen by all who are interested in the results. 



Another method is to have several or all of the members of the institute try 

 the same experiment and each present a sei>arate report. 



Still another is for the institute to select a set of farms suited for the several 

 purposes of the experiments to be undertaken and agree to bear the extra 

 expense of conducting the experiments over and above the value'of their pro- 

 ceeds, which are to be the projierty of the owner of the farm. Such experiments 

 could be under the control of a committee of the institutes and be reported from 

 year to year as the experiments progressed. 



In these ways a large amount of illustrative material would be available of 

 a kind most interesting and instructive. 



THE USE OF CHARTS. 



There remain two other forms of illustration, both of \Ahich have been found 

 to be of great value. The first is l)y the use of diagrams or charts. 



A well-constructed diagram or chart, giving the salient points of a subject 

 arranged to bring out some truth, is a striking form in which to disi)lay illus- 

 trative material, and in the hands of a compett'ut man may i)e made most effect- 

 ive as a means of conveying information to an audience. Tabular matter 

 arranged so as to show by contrast the effect of one practice with another is a 

 common feature of this kind of work. The form of chart is frequently extended 

 to pictures of plants iind animals, often giving sections .MUd individual organs 

 of these plants or .-inimals in magnified form. Such charts hold attention and 

 keep the lecturer to his topic without the use of manuscript or notes. 



LANTERN .SLIDES. 



The other form is by the use of photograiihic lantern slides projecting the pic- 

 tures upon a screen. 



The principal objection to the use of the lantern is that it is difficult to trans- 

 port where institutes are held in districts off the railway lines. The lantern 

 itself is inconvenient to carry and when the lime light is used the tanks for 

 holding the gases are heavy and diittcult to keep replenished during the season's 

 campaign. There must also be a competent assistant to i-un the lantern during 

 the lecture. An outfit of this character liecomes a most expensive feature of 

 an institute. 



There is also the other fact that in most schoolhouses and churches where 

 institutes are held no means are at hand for darkening the room. As a conse- 

 quence the lantern can only be used during the evening session. 



There is always, even under the best conditions, the danger of disturbance in 

 a darkened hall from disorderly persons who have no interest in the subject. 

 This has necessitated the use for the most part of spectacular pictures. ;ind even 

 these must be freipiently changed in order to hold iittention. Taltular matter 

 of the kind connnonly used in charts in a lighted room would require to be held 

 too long upon the sci'een for their proper explanation, thus rendering the 

 ill-disposed impatient, and invite disturbance. Because of these difficulties the 

 lantern has not hitherto I)een used in institute work to the extent that its merits 

 justify. 



Many sulijects can not lie properly presented or understood without being 

 accompanied by the objects themselves. Frequently it is impossible to have at 



