61 



about sixty ladies from Elko and vicinity. The evening meetings were composed of 

 mixt audiences, numbering about one hundred and twenty-five persons. At the 

 close of the institute the members of the station staff felt gratified at the interest mani- 

 fested and were confident that they had begun a work that would increase in interest 

 and beneficial effects thruout the years to come. 



A committee, consisting of Z. T. Hardesty, Thomas Hunter, George Russell, George 

 S. Brown, and William Smiley, made up a report of the meeting expressive of their 

 appreciation of what had been undertaken, congratulating the experiment station 

 staff and the teaching force of the university upon the excellent work that they had 

 accomplished. 



During the winter of 1902-3 institutes were held at Elko, Lovelock, and Gardner- 

 ville. The lecture force was composed of members of the agricultural experiment 

 station staff under the leadership of the vice-director. 



Four institute sessions were held at Elko, and about forty people were in regular 

 attendance during the day, while the evening session numbered about one hundred. 

 The interest manifested was all that could be desired, and the lectm-es were highly 

 appreciated. At Lovelock three sessions were held, with an attendance of about 

 eighty persons. At Gardnerville three sessions were also held, but the interest mani- 

 fested was not as satisfactory as at the other two points. The attendance averaged 

 about sixty persons. 



Encouraged by their experience in holding farmers' institutes during the previous 

 two years, the experiment station staff planned to hold institute meetings during the 

 winter of 1903-4 in nine different sections of the State. Somewhat to their disap- 

 pointment, only four places made application for meetings— Elko, Glendale, Huffakers, 

 and Franktown. Institutes were held at all of these points with quite encouraging 

 results. The topics discu.st were dairying, irrigation, injurious insects, diseases of 

 animals, stock judging, how to grow hothouse plants, and how to cook and sew. Three 

 of the institutes were one-day and the one held at Elko was a two-day institute. The 

 lectures were given by the members of the station staff, except that Miss Bardenwerper, 

 of the agricultural and mechanical college, gave a number of lectures on domestic 

 science. The advertising was by means of newspapers and handbills, notice being 

 given of the institutes from two to four weeks in advance. 



The rich mines that are being discovered in the southern part of the State are adding 

 thousands to its population each year. This means increased demand for agricultural 

 products of all kinds. The institute is endeavoring to introduce general farming among 

 the ranchmen and thus provide for supplying the demand in the home markets for 

 agricultural pi-oducts. 



Agriculture in Nevada is, for the most part, in its elementary stage. The soil is still 

 productive and the farmers and ranchers, as a rule, have not yet come to realize the need 

 of giving special attention to the scientific side of their occupation. The institute, it 

 is believed, will gradually develop increased interest in advanced agriculture and 

 bring about a better appreciation of the work of the university and of the experiment 

 station in their efforts to advance the agricultural interests of the State. 



NEW HAMPSHIRE. 



The public statutes of New Hampshire require the secretary of the board of agricul- 

 ture "to make arrangements for giving public notice of, and, if possible, personally 

 attend, the farmers' meetings authorized by the board." Under this general authority 

 farmers' institutes have been organized and conducted. 



The first organized agricultural society in the State of which we have an account 

 originated in the county of Rockingham as early as 1814. We find a record on the jour- 

 nals of the legislature of that year, when a charter was granted. It probably had its cen- 

 tral point at the then important town of Chester, or possibly at Exeter. A little later 



