37 



Tlic fdllowing report by President Welsh to the board of trustees of (lie college, taken 

 from the I'oUege Annual, dated February 1, 1871, giving the work of the institutes for 

 1870, shows the method that was pursued in conducting the farmers' institute Avork: 



Many of the trustees will remember that last fall an urgent demand was made outside 

 the institution for a winter session. Such a session, however, was for reasons well known 

 to you found to be impracticable. It is now thought to promise better results to the 

 farmers, that farmers' institutes, somewhat similar in method to the teachers' institutes, 

 should be held by a few of the older members of the faculty in different sections of the 

 State. We jjropose that each institute .shall last five days, and that its program shall 

 consist of lectures for day and evening sessions, on stock breeding and management, 

 fruit cultur(\ farm accounts, and kindred topics. The first farmers' institute is already 

 appointed in Cedar Falls, to open on the L'Oth instant (Deceml)er, 1870); the second is 

 to commence on January o, at Council Bluffs, in respon.se to an earnest invitation from 

 the farmers of that county: an<l the third will l)e held in Muscatine, by desire of its citi- 

 zens; time not fixed. A fourth may be held in Boonesboro or Ames. Now it is desir- 

 able that this new experiment should be tried without much expense to the farmers in 

 attendance, and if the trustees should see fit to appropriate a moderate sum for traveling 

 expenses it would, I have no doubt, be wisely expended. Professor Jones, Professor 

 Matthews, and my.self will conduct the exercises. 



The attitude of the board is shown In' the following extract from the action of a com- 

 mittee to which was referred the president's report: 



In regard to the farmers' institutes, without hesitation we entirely coincide with the 

 president's i)lans, and l>elieve tliat great good will residt therefrom, and most earnestly 

 desire that a sufficient amount may be appropriated to defray the necessary expenses 

 thereof. 



The following prospectus w:as published by the college in February, 1871: 



Farmers'' institutes. — At least three farmers' institutes will be held in different parts 

 of the State during the winter vacation. 



First farmers' institute (jpens December 19, 1871; second farmers' institute opens 

 January 2, 1872; and third farmers' institute opens January 16, 1872. 



These institutes will open on Tuesday evening and continue to Friday evening of the 

 same week. 



The sessions during the day will be occupied with lectures and discussions on stock 

 breeding and management, fruits and fruit growing, farm architecture, farm engineering, 

 farm accounts, raising of crops, etc. 



Public addresses on subjects connected with agriculture will l)e given in the evenings. 



A farmers' institute may be secured at any locality, in the order of application, by for- 

 warding a written request to the president of the college signed by 50 farmers who desire 

 to attend all the meetings. 



It is expected that the current expenses of the lecturers will be paid by those in whose 

 interest the institute is held. 



At the beginning of the institute work in Iowa, and for a number of years thereafter, the 

 expenses were borne by local contributions. In 1890-91 the station and agricultural 

 college and the State agricultural society appropriated a small sum to pay the expenses 

 of the college professors and other competent lecturers at these institutes. 



The Iowa Improved Stock Breeders' Association, discerning the value of the institute 

 system, took action at an early date to secure recognition and financial aid from the State. 

 In 1889 that association past the following resolution : 



Resolved, That we ask the legislature to require all county and district agricultural 

 societies receiving money from the State (for local fairs) to hold farmers' institutes within 

 their territory every winter, and we also ask a yearly appropriation of $5,000 for ex- 

 penses of such institutes. 



This association reiterated the demand for State aid at its sessions in 1890 and 1891. 

 At the latter session the Hon. James Wilson, serving as chairman of the committee to 

 which the measure was referred, reported a resolution favoring legislative action and 

 named as a committee to frame a bill for submission to the general assembly the follow- 

 ing gentlemen: Senator B. R. Vale, Henry Wallace, and J. B. Furrow, president of the 

 State Farmers' Alliance. The bill prepared by this committee followed closely the 



