24 



As before stated, the State board of agriculture holds many single-day institutes, 

 and various associations or societie' supplement this service by institutes or field- 

 day meetings, as the Dairy Association, the Pomological Society, the Forestry Asso- 

 ciation, the Grange, and other associations each in their own interest, -working jointly 

 or separately, but in harmony for the general good. 



The methods used by these different organizations in carrying on their work of dis- 

 seminating information are entirely in their own discretion. Each has an institute 

 committee appointed to have charge of the institute work. The board of agriculture 

 requires that localities applying for institutes shall furnish a suitable hall, provide 

 local transportation for speakers and visitors, music, i^ desired, and entertain by 

 collation or otherwise unless there are convenient hotel accommodations. The board 

 pays for printing, traveling expenses, and services of speakers. 



The colleges and experiment stations furnish speakers, men who join science and 

 practise to meet men whose practise tests the theories of science. 



There are no specific local organizations for conducting institutes, but the superin- 

 tendents depend upon the local granges and farm clubs for cooperation. There is 

 no special law making appropriation to farmers' institutes, the expenses being met out 

 of the general appropriation made to the State board, the Dairy Association, and the 

 Pomological Society 



DELAWARE. 



The first farmers' institute in Delaware was organized as the "Farmers' Institute of 

 New Castle County" at a meeting held at Delaware College, Newark, on February 21, 

 1889. Officers were elected, including a president, vice-president, secretary, treas- 

 urer, and an executive committee. A constitution and set of by-laws were adopted. 

 Twenty members joined, paying the fee of SI, which was fixed as the cost of annual 

 membership. On March 11, the same year, a second meeting was held at the same place, 

 when several addresses were made on practical farm topics, and some phases of the 

 State and county government were discust. This meeting was largely attended, 

 farmers being present from all parts of the county. 



At the time this organization was formed a farmers' institute bill was pending in the 

 Delaware legislature, then in session, and was passed without opposition on March 29, 

 1889. The act provided for the holding annually of at least one farmers' institute in 

 each county for the discussion "orally or by written c-3says or papers of agricultural 

 and kindred matters and for the dissemination of agricultural knowledge among the 

 farmers of this State." Each county institute organization consists of a president, 

 vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and an executive committee of not less than five 

 nor more than nine members. The act appropriated S600 annually for bearing the 

 expenses of the institutes, which is apportioned $200 to each county. 



Under this act institutes were organized in Kent and Sussex counties on May 18, 

 1889, l)ut for some reason no meeting was called in New Castle County until January 

 18, 1890, when a meeting was held. The organization formed the previous March was 

 disbanded and a new organization was formed according to the act of the legislature. 

 The institute of each county was absolutely independent of those in the other counties. 

 All three organizations at once became very active and useful. At first the meetings 

 usually consisted of a single session, or rarely of two sessions. The subjects discust 

 were topics relating to practical farming and to the management of countj' and State 

 affairs, good roads, methods of taxation, honesty on the part of county and State offi- 

 cials, civic betterment, and educational problems. Many of these addresses were pub- 

 lished in pamphlet form and distributed to the farmers of the State. For several years 

 after the institutes were organized the speakers were nearly all practical farmers and 

 leading citizens of the county in which the institute was held, in addition to the ofli- 

 cers, workers, and teachers in the agricultural college and experiment station, who 

 were called upon freely and rendered very efficient and acceptable service. From 

 time to time, also, specialists from other States were secured. 



