45 



PENNSYI.VAXTA. 

 Ry A. I.. Maktin, Ilnrriahtirf]. 



We feel safe in stating that our institutes had a larger attendance last year than in 

 any previous year, a total of Io0,9;i2. Toi)ics discussed embraced a witle range. 

 This of necessity nnist Ix' true in a State containing such a great variety of soils, cli- 

 matic conditions, and home markets. The farmers, as a result (jf instructions received 

 at these institutes, are rapidly adopting the most approved methods in every depart- 

 ment of farm operations, the' results of which are noticeable in the raising of more 

 pure-breed animals, larger crops of grain, fruits, and vegetables, and of superior 

 quality. 



The" number of days of institute held this season was 327. Added to this we had 

 three days of normal institute, making a total of :W0. These normal meetings have 

 become a fixture in the Pennsylvania farmers' institute work. Their object and aim 

 is to better equip the institute lecturer for his work. Instructors for these meetings 

 are engaged with reference to their ability to sjjcak with authority on ([uestions relat- 

 ing to soil, animal industry, horticulture, dairying, etc., thus bringing to the farm- 

 ers' institute lecturers accurate knowledge for (levelopment of the problems and 

 lessons which they are expected to })ring l)efore tlie farmers of the State. Amount 

 of money expende<l at farmers' institutes the la.«t year was $17,500. The number of 

 speakers employed was (V.\. In the localities where institutes were held many local 

 sf)eaker8 joined in the work with the State force. The State force of instructors is 

 divided into five sections, each section going into a certain part of the State on a 

 continuous line of travel from county to county until the schedule for the season is 

 completed. This arrangement gives economy in travel and also convenience to the 

 different localities where institutes are held, as they know in advance who the speak- 

 ers are and on what days their institutes will be held. 



We are undertaking, in addition to this valuable oral instruction, to introduce 

 schools in the actual practice of dairying; that is, in a locality where butter is made 

 in the creameries an expert butter maker is engaged to take charge of the ripening 

 of the cream, churning of same, and working of butter, giving lessons to the cream- 

 ery patrons, who form the school, along every jiliase of the work. 



A meeting of this character is now billed to be held at Troy, Bradford County, on 

 the 21st to the 23d of November. Professor Van Norman, late of Purdue University, 

 Lafayette, Ind., now dairy instructor at State College, Pennsylvania, will have charge 

 of this dairy school and class work. 



Our exjterience teaches us that, as the agricultural chemist and botanist develop year 

 after year many lessons in agriculture, the inqxirtance of the institute instructor, as 

 well as the place he occupies as lecturer, will not have abated, but added to this oral 

 instruction will be object lessons in butter making, plant growth and life, soil and 

 soil moisture, spraying for fungi and insect enemies; in fact, the field is just opened 

 up for this important line of work, which will multiply many fold the importance of 

 farmers' institutes and their relation to the advancement of agriculture. 



PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND. 

 By J. C. Readey, Charlottetown. 



The general object of the campaign has been to incite a greater and more mutual 

 interest in the vital agricultural problems of this Province. The plan has been to 

 bring the various local institutes into closer touch with each other and thus stimu- 

 late a greater interest among the members in carrying out the details of the work. 

 This was brought about by semiannual conventions, to which delegates from the local 

 institutes were sent. The programme for these conventions was prepared by the 

 local department of agriculture and submitted to the farmers' institute staff, who act 

 as an advisory board. 



Following this, the summer series of educational meetings were held. Sixty meet- 

 ings were held in June and July, five speakers taking part. The delegation in every 

 case consisted of one Dominion government official and one local man, the latter 

 being a member of the Provincial Institute staff. 



The new work consisted in the organization of an institute staff, the institution of 

 classes in agronomy and seed work, the arrangement of excursions to experiment 

 stations, and thehofding of judging com petitions and short courses in livestock judging. 



Two thousand dollars was spent in the work and 1,692 members were enrolled. 



