8 



had succeeded. Later, as the agricultural expepment stations wef6 

 developed, expert scientists from these stations and professors from 

 the agricultural colleges were brought in to announce the late discov- 

 eries of science as these discoveries related to agriculture, and to give 

 advice as to new methods that might be introduced with prospect of 

 success. 



The feeling of need for information respecting their calling was so 

 general among the farmers and the instruction which these experts 

 imparted was so helpful that in all ot the States the demand for such 

 instruction became urgent. In response to this demand the legisla- 

 tures in most of the States provided for the organization and sup- 

 port of farmers' institutes. The indications. are that the institute has 

 come to stay and that out of the early and cruder forms there ^\'ill 

 gradually be developed a system that will be thoroly organized for 

 giving systematic instruction in agriculture and become recognized 

 as a necessary part of the general system of industrial education. 



If the development referred to should be realized, it will become of 

 interest to students of industrial education in future years to know 

 precisely how the movement originated in the several States and un- 

 derstand the circumstances that surrounded it and the forces that 

 aided in its progress. With this in mind, as well as in the belief that 

 institute workers even now will be interested in the facts presented, 

 the Institute Specialist ot the Office of Experiment Stations of the 

 Department of Agriculture has collected such data as could be had 

 respecting the origin and early history of the institutes in the several 

 States. It was felt that it was important to do this while there are 

 still living those who were identified with the movement from its 

 beginning and are consequently familiar with it in all of its details. 



A letter was sent out to the institute directors of the several States 

 and Territories in April, 1904, stating that it was proposed to publish 

 in bulletin form a history of the farmers' institutes in the United 

 States, partly as a matter of general interest, but specially that an 

 authentic record may be had which can be used for reference and ask- 

 ing each director to prepare a brief paper giving an account of the 

 origin and development ot the farmers' institute movement in his 

 State. 



In response to this letter the majority of the State directors 

 prepared statements more or less complete and sent them in to the 

 Institute Specialist. In a number of instances the preparation of 

 the history was delegated by the director to some citizen known to 

 be fandliar with the facts, who collected the data and transmitted 

 the manuscript to this Office. 



In some cases bare outlines or disconnected facts were given; in 

 others a large amount of irrelevant material was included in the state- 

 ments, and in still others the accounts far exceeded the limits of space 



