19 



])n'si'iit. Onulually the ronlidcncc of llic fanning' people was regained, and Ihe insti- 

 tutes are highly regarded hy the farmers as sulxstantial aids in the imi)n)venient of 

 their agrieulture. During the i)eriod just referred to the lecturers at tlie institutes 

 dealt almost wholly with the Ifve-stoek industry — the diseases of live stock, the caring 

 and feeding of domestic animals, etc. 



After about five years of work t)f this character by Dr. C'ary, assisted from time 

 to time by the members of the staff of the agiicultural experiment station, the late 

 William Leroy Brown succeeded in inducing the board of trustees of the Alabama 

 Poljtechnic Institute to appropriate the sum of $400 annually for farmers' institute 

 purposes. This amount was continued each year until three years ago, when it was 

 increased to $600 per year, and in 1904 was still further increased to §800. 



The condition and progress of the institute work is exhibited in the following statc- 

 n\ent covering the past six years, showing tlic numl)cr of inslitutcs licld. the counties 

 visited, and the attendance; 



County institute vwetings in Alabama. 



Year ended- 



July 1, 1899. . 

 July 1, 1900. . 

 July 1,1901.. 

 July 1,1902. - 

 July 1, 1903. . 

 July 1,1904.. 



Total 



There is no Slate law regulating or controlling the work, ^\'hat is being done is 

 wholly under the direction of the board of trustees of the Alabama Polytechnic Insti- 

 tute and of the agricultural experiment station. This body, as has been intimated, 

 appropriates all of the money that is used for conducting the institute work and auth- 

 orizes the memliers of the faculty of the Poh'technic Institute and the staff of the 

 experiment station to render such assistance in lecturing before these meetings as they 

 may he able, not to interfere with their regular work in the institutions to which they 

 l)elong. 



The director of institutes is appointed l)y the board for a period of one year to act 

 as their representative. 



There are no permanent local institute organizations in th(> State. The arranging 

 of the dates, selecting places, and the preparing of the programs are all in the hands 

 of the State director. 



ALASKA. 



Farmers' institutes have not been organized in Alaska, but the special agent in charge 

 of the experiment station at Sitka, as he visits the various districts, takes advantage of 

 the opportunity to give advice as to more advanced methods that might be employed in 

 improving the agricultm-e of the several localities. 



ARIZONA. 



The farmers' institute movement in Arizona originated in 1895. On October 18 a 

 convention of farmers, fruit growers, and stockmen assembled in Phoenix in response 

 to a call issued by the agi-icultural experiment station and the Phoenix Chamber of 

 Commerce. The meetings continued for two days. William Stowe Devol, director of 

 the experiment station, was elected chairman, and Bruce Perley, of the Phoenix Chamber 

 of Commerce, secretary. The program consisted of papers and addresses upon subjects 



