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Thus these meetings assumed, to a limited degree, something of the institute charac- 

 ter. The original law provided for lectures before the State board at its annual or other 

 meetings, but it did not empower the executive committee to provide for lectures in 

 the counties under the auspices of the State board of agriculture. 



In 1S90 Secretary Dye secured an amendment to the old law, which was approved 

 March 31 of that year, empowering the executive committee to employ lecturers in the 

 counties of the State. Under that enactment and from that date to the present a series 

 of farmers' institutes for each year has been arranged and conducted thruout the State, 

 beginning, usually, in the month of November and closing in February. These 

 annual series include the yearly meeting of the State board, which occurs about the 

 middle of January and covers a period of three days with two evening sessions. 



While lectures on agricultural topics had been given in a number of the counties at 

 the county boards of agriculture and farmers' club meetings as early as 1875, the organ- 

 ized lecture work under the name of farmers' institutes and \inder State supervision 

 was not inaugurated until 1890. as stated above. 



The development of this work has been gradual, but prejudices in some localities 

 against this sort of agricultural instruction had to be met and overcome. The true 

 purpose and meaning of the institute must be clearly set forth and understood and 

 its possible value to the farmer, his family, and his business demonstrated beyond a 

 reasonable doubt. These results have been largely attained, but further develop- 

 ment is needful, not only in New Jersey but elsewhere, if the institute is to meet the 

 new, ever-recurring questions as they appear. 



In New Jersey the scientific and practical are placed side by side on the institute 

 platform. The theories and teachings of the scientist that have been applied in 

 practise are given to the farmer with hi^! methods and results. 



The farmers' institutes in New Jersey consist of three, four, and five sessions, cover- 

 ing one and two days in a given locality, as occasion seems to demand. It is the aim 

 to hold at least one institute in each agricultural county, but in some counties three 

 and occasionally four have been held. 



The amount of money available from the State for this work approximates $2,000 

 annually. This is expended for printing and lectures. Halls for meetings must be 

 furnished free by the locality requesting an institute. 



While the aim is to secure from time to time the best workers from adjacent 

 States, the State agricultural college and experiment station force is also freely drawn 

 on. In addition to these are a number of progressive, thinking farmers thruout the 

 State who study their business and can state with clearness their experience on what- 

 ever line of farming they may be following. 



By such a selection of speakers it is found practicable to treat most subjects of im- 

 portance with a comprehensiveness not otherwise possible. 



There is not much machinery. The advertising is by postal card and press notice 

 first, later by a program of subjects, directed to such persons as are specially desired 

 to attend the meeting. Two weeks before the institute large posters are put up in 

 the neighl:)orhood by the local committee. 



The plan is to reach as many farmers as possible with the money at the disposal of 

 the board, and to adapt the addresses and discussions to such matters as are of chief 

 interest to the farmers in localities visited. 



Altho New Jersey is not large territorially, her agricultural industries vary greatly. 

 She requires a larger list of subjects and addresses on more varied lines than any 

 other area of similar si^e. 



There is no printed report of the institute proceedings. Occasionally arrange- 

 ments are made to have an institute speaker recast his institute addresses into a single 

 lecture and deliver it at the annual State meeting. This address is jDrinted in the 

 annual report of the State board of agriculture and has wide circulation, » 



