81 



cost was $620. Twelve speakers were upon the State lecture force, all of whom were 

 members of the faculty of the State agricultural college or of the experiment station 

 force. 



The dates, p'aces, and programs are arranged by the director. Two thousand live 

 hundred copies of reports of the proceedings were printed and distributed. 



SOUTH CAROLINA. 



In lcS87 tlie legislature of South Carolina made it obligatory upon the board of 

 agriculture to hold farmers' institutes. A few were held under the provisions of 

 that act. Several years later Clemson Agricultural College was established, and the 

 duties of the board of agriculture, so far as it related to the holding of farmers' insti- 

 tutes, were devolved upon the l)oard of trustees of Clemson Agricultural College. 



A law of South Carolina, enacted in 1893, « provides that — 



The board of trustees of Clemson Agricultural College shall have power to hold 

 agricultural conventions composed of delegates from each county of the State; 

 * * * and to conduct farmers' institutes at such times and places as may appear 

 expedient, and they are authorized to use such parts of funds under their control 

 as may be necessary to meet the expenses of con(lucting such institutes. 



From this time until the present farmers' institutes have been held in most of the 

 counties every year, with increasing pijpularity, closing each season with a several 

 days' institute held at Clemson Agricultural College. Last year 33 institutes were 

 held, having a total attendance of 8,690. Fifteen lecturers were upon the State 

 institute force; 9 were contributed by the agricultural college and 6 by the experi- 

 ment station. The expenses amounted to $600. A round-up institute at the close 

 of the season, extending over 12 sessions, was held at the college, having a total 

 attendance of about 1,500 persons. 



A committee of the board of trustees of Clemson Agricultural College makes out 

 the programs for the ensuing year and appoints an officer to take charge of the work 

 of conducting the meetings. The rule adopted by the board is to require that an 

 invitation shall be received from not less than 15 farmers in a locality before an insti- 

 tute will be granted, and it is also required that those desiring institutes must have 

 their petition in the hands of the president of the board of trustees on or before June 10. 

 This petition must designate a suitable place for holding the institutes, and the 

 locality will be expected to provide either a suitable building or seats in some grove 

 for the comfortable accommodation of those who attend the institute. 



The director appoints the dates on which the institutes will be held, giving due 

 notice to the petitioners in each locality. Thereupon they are expected to advertise 

 the meeting thruout the territory which the institute is to reach. The appropriation 

 is made by the trustees of the agricultural college from the college and staff funds. 



SOUTH DAKOTA. 



The first farmers' institutes in South Dakota were held in the winter of 1889-90, 

 and were conducted under the direction of James H. Shepard, chemist in the South 

 Dakota Agricultural College. The college at that time had no winter term, and an 

 institute was planned to be held at the institution, to continue for several weeks. 

 The next winter, 1890-91, the same method was tried, but !- both cases with indif- 

 ferent success. It was found that the number of farmers tl uld be induced to 

 attend the institute meetings was not sufficient to justify the expense. This plan 

 was therefore abandoned, and meetings were arranged to be held in various parts of 

 the State, to continue for about three days. This proved much more acceptable. 



The work was conducted by the professors of the college. No funds were avail- 

 able for meeting the expense, and the localities in which the meetings were held 



a Revised Statutes, 1893, sec. 1132, par. 10. 

 11797— No. 174—06 6 



