53 



ing the composition of foods, are used by the demonstrators to show how balanced food 

 rations may be constructed. 



At every institute held in Minnesota there is at least one address given on the work 

 of the college of agriculture of the State. The college is thus brought to the attention 

 of farming people in a way that interests and informs them and enables them to become 

 personally acquainted with many of the professors who are engaged in giving instruc- 

 tion in agriculture in the institution. The work of the agricultural experiment station 

 is likewise referred to and the main features of its operations explained. 



The Institute Annual is an important educational feature of the Minnesota institutes. 

 It is a book of about 300 pages, composed of addresses by the institute lecturers and 

 articles contributed bj' experts upon various agricultural subjects. The book is 

 edited by the superintendent of institutes and copies are distributed at the institute 

 meetings of the succeeding season. The edition numbers 30,000. 



MISSISSIPPI. 



The first appropriation for farmers' institute work in Mississippi was made in 1900, 

 when the legislature appropriated $1,000 for the years 1900 and 1901. When this 

 appropriation was made the institute work was well established. In 1899, 28 institutes 

 were held, in 1895, 18 institutes were held, and in 1897, 15. Prior to this time only 

 4 to 5 institutes were held each year, ])eginning in 1884. 



Where an institute was held without any other attraction — such, for example, as a 

 barbecue or picnic — 50 to 100 farmers were usually in attendance, but in some cases, 

 especially for the first institute, as many as 400 or 500 people would attend. As an 

 average result each institute reached about 75 or 80 farmers, and where some social 

 feature was associated with the meeting the total attendance was from 200 to 500 and, 

 in a few cases, perhaps 1,000. The few institutes that were held from 1884 to 1888 

 were usually accompanied by some social feature, such as a barbecue or picnic. They 

 were largely attended, and the expenses of such speakers as went from the college were 

 paid out of college funds, 



After the establishment of the experiment station in 1888 station funds were used 

 to defray the expenses incurred for holding institutes until the legislature made the 

 first appropriation, referred to above. 



Up to 1904 the legislature has made three appropriations for holding farmers' insti- 

 tutes, covering a period of six years. The second appropriation was $3,000 and the 

 third $6,000. The latter appropriation is still available for the work of the next two 

 seasons. 



With increased appropriations more institutes have been held each season, and the 

 average attendance has increased to some extent. In 1903, 107 institutes were held, 

 and the estimated attendance was 11,326. Forty institutes were held in 1901 and 58 

 in 1902. 



At first the institutes were very often continued for three days. Two-day institutes, 

 however, were most common until 1898, since which time one-day meetings have been 

 regarded as better, tho a number of communities continue to express a desire for 

 two-day sessions. Most of the institutes have been held during July and August. 

 The work is under the immediate direction of the president of the Agricultural and 

 Mechanical College. 



Institute work in Mississippi has accomplished great good. It is causing the farmer 

 to think, observe, and, to some extent, to read. It has brought the college, the station, 

 and the farmers closer together, so that they know each other better. As the attend- 

 ance at the institutes has increased so the number of students at the college has multi- 

 plied, and the bulletin mailing list has grown larger. 



