59 



The season of 1904-5 began November 18, 1904, and closed March 30, 1905. One 

 hundred and fifty institutes were held, of which 88 were one-day meetings, 56 were two- 

 day meetings, and 6 were more than two days. Thirty-eight speakers were on the regular 

 force, of which 18 were connected with the experiment station or the university, and 20 

 were employed from outside the university. Institutes were held in 68 counties. Aver- 

 age number of speakers at each institute, 3. Eighty-two days' time was given by univer- 

 sity men to this work and 463 days by other institute speakers. Four hundred and eighty 

 sessions were held, with an average of 140 people at each session. Sixty-seven thousand, 

 two hundred and forty-one people attended regular farmers' institutes. In addition to 

 this, 41,486 people attended the various pure-seed specials in the State and listened to 

 lectures by members of the experiment station force upon seed corn, seed potatoes, and 

 crops adapted to the western portion of the State. Two thousand people were in attend- 

 ance at Organized Agriculture, January 16-21, inclusive, which was virtually a round-up 

 institute session altho held under the auspices of the State board of agriculture and asso- 

 ciated agricultural societies in connection with the annual meeting of that board. 

 Altho but $12,000 had been appropriated for the biennium, the expenses of this large 

 number of iustitutes somewhat exceeded the balance of the appropriation, the deficiency 

 being provided for by the payment of a part of the salary of the superintendent and 

 assistant superintendent for the last quarter by the university from other than institute 

 funds. 



During the seasons of 1901-2 and 1902-3 such notable farmers' institute speakers 

 as Henry Wallace, of Wallaces' Farmer, M. F. Greeley, of South Dakota, and Mrs. 

 Bertha D. Laws, of Minnesota, took part in the work. Joseph E. Wing assisted in institute 

 work during the seasons of 1902-3, 1903-4, and 1904-5. H. P. Miller, of Ohio, assisted in 

 institute work during the season of 1902-3; D. Ward King during the seasons of 1902-3, 

 1903-4, and 1904-5. Prof. P. G. Holden, of Ames, Iowa, gave two or three lectures on 

 the selection of seed corn before the farmers' institutes in February, 1902, starting the 

 seed-corn movement in this State. 



The Nebraska system combines local and central organizations, no institute Ix'ing held 

 except on request, the community bearing a part of the expenses, generally amounting 

 to hall rent, local advertising, and local entertainment of speakers at hotels. For the 

 season of 1904-5, 65 out of 150 institute points reported their local expense to be $1,129.23, 

 or an average of $17.37 each. This is probably too high for the average local expense of 

 institute points, especially where court-houses or free hall rent is secured. 



Institute dates are made at least six weeks in advance, and the institutes are arranged 

 in series covering at least one week, the dates overlapping each other, so that a speaker 

 fills his appointment and goes on to the next point, not necessarily remaining until the 

 close of the institute. 



The subjects of soil tillage, rotation of crops, and varieties adapted to a given locality 

 are made prominent. Alfalfa growing and feeding is a leading subject in most locali- 

 ties in the State. The breeding and selection of seed corn has been made prominent 

 for the last two years. Many exhibits of corn are judged by the corn specialist on the 

 institute force. A number of corn contests have been carried on under institute man- 

 agement. At some institute points the judging of live stock is a part of the program. 

 The subject of feeding is one of paramount importance and is nearly always discust 

 in the corn-belt area. Regular speakers have been employed to discuss the care and 

 management of poultry, the rearing of horses, the care and management of swine, the 

 subject of soil fertility and crop rotations, and the subject of home making. Lady 

 speakers are used, but practically no independent women's sessions are held, except 

 at institutes of more than two days' duration. 



Local organizations have a president, a secretary, and treasm-er, and a local com- 

 mittee to look after expenses and program. 



The central office prints about 50 posters, sends out special notices to from 50 to 100 

 farmers by postal card, lists being furnished by the local secretaries, sends notices of 



