38 



system then in operation in a number of States, providing for a centi-al board and super- 

 intendent of insiitutes under whose direction the money appropriated should be ex- 

 pend eil . 'Phe legislative committee, composed mainly of farmers, adopted a substitute 

 bill which was finally past, and which provided for the holding of county institutes 

 and appropriated $50 to each county for this purpose. 



It was stated that the object cf such institute should be ''the dissemination of 

 practical and scientific knowledge pertaining to agriculture in all its various branches." 



This act was amended by the general assembly in 1902, increasing the appropriation 

 for each county institute to $75 per annum, and further providing that each county 

 institute shall be entitled to representation at the annual sessions of the State board 

 ( f agriculture. Under the operation cf this law there has been a steady advancement 

 in the number cf institutes and public interest in the annual sessions. 



There is no central organization or State superintendent cf farmers' institutes in 

 Iowa. The counties act independently in their institute work. In the year 1903-4 

 institutes were held in 70 of the 99 counties cf the State. The attendance for that 

 year is estimated at about 17,700 and the number of sessions at about 350. 



KANSAS. 



The farmers' institute work in Kansas began in 1868. The honor of organizing the 

 first meeting seems to be divided between the board of regents of the State agricultural 

 college and the Union Agricultural Society, which was organized Jime6, 1868. The 

 fii-st officers cf this society were: President, J. S. Hougham; vice-president, Elljridge 

 Gale; secretary, R. D. Parker, and treasurer, William Wells. The directors were 

 C. B.' Lines, Wabaunsee County; Samuel Cutter, Riley County, and Orville Huntress, 

 Clay County. 



This society arranged in its constitution to meet on the second Saturday of each 

 month, and its object was stated to be • to promote, by exhibits and l^y exchange of 

 opinions and experiences, the pursuits of horticulture, agriculture, and arboriculture." 



The Manhattan Standard, in its issue of October 31, 1868, referring to the Union 

 Agricultural Society, printed the following item: 



"Agricultural institute.— It is proposed to hold an agricultural institute in connection 

 with the Horticultural Society on Saturday, the J 4th cf November." 



In its issue of November 7, 1868, the same paper contained the following item: 



•'Farmers' institute. — An-angements have been made to hold a farmers' institute in 

 connection with the next regular meeting of the Union Agricultural Association. 

 The exercises will occur in the County Hall in Manhattan, November 14, 1868." The 

 subjects to be discust were announced as f )llows: Tree borers; culture of fruit trees; 

 economy on the farm. 



This institute was held according to announcement, as appears from a statement in 

 the Manhattan Standard, December 5, 1868: 



''Farmers' institutes .—The Union Agricultural Society met in the County Hall, 

 Manhattan, November 14, 1868, at 10 a. m., and was called to order by President 

 Hougham . The first lousiness was an address by President Denison , of the agricultural 

 college. His theme was "The Relation cf the College to the Agricultural Interests of 

 the State." This was followed by discussion. 



The next was a lecture l)y Professor Mudge on tree borers, followed by discussion. 

 In the afternoon there was an address by Rev. Mr. Gale on fruit-tree culture, fol- 

 lowed by a lecture on economy on the farm, by Professor Hciigham. This appears 

 to have been the first farmers' institute held in Kansas. 



But about the same time that the Union Agi-icidtural Society took action looking 

 to the establishing of farmers' institutes in Kansas the board (f regents (.f the State 

 agricultural college, al Manhattan, took up the same subject. The college records 

 show that at a meeting of the board tjf regents of the college, .fane 23, 1868, at which 



