95 



stock breeders and farmers before they were called to the institute platform. The 

 farmers ask for these meetings and feel that they are their own. 



Dm'ing 1886-87 Superintendent Morrison became convinced that the best thoughts 

 and suggestions brought out in the different discussions should be preserved, and 

 accordingly ])egan the publication of the Wisconsin Farmers' Institute Bulletin. This 

 has been continued annually. The material for this bulletin is secured by holding a 

 round-up institute, at which the institute workers of the State are l)rought together 

 along with some of the professors from the agricultural college and a number of institute 

 lecturers from other States. The papers, addresses, and discussions presented at this 

 meeting are stenographically reported and edited into a bulletin. 



In 1887, 31,000 copies of Bulletin No. 1 were issued. In 1890 the issue was increased 

 to 40,000, in 1895 to 50,000, and in 1896 to 60,000. One hundred thousand could now 

 be profitably used, but the funds will not permit the publication of so large an issue. 

 Eight thousand cloth-bound bulletins are turned over to the superintendent of public 

 instruction to be placed in the school district libraries of the State. The balance of 

 them are distributed at the institutes and thru the local press, creameries, cheese fac- 

 tories, farmers' clubs, agricultural societies, farmers, and business men. 



The cost of the preparation, editing, printing, and distributing of this bulletin of 320 

 pages is about $6,000. Part of this, however, is returned from funds received for the 

 limited amount of advertising placed in its pages. 



Midwinter fairs under the local management are held in connection with many of 

 the two-day winter institutes where prizes for products of the farm and home, varying 

 in amount of premiums from |10 up to $2,500. have been offered. Where properly 

 managed this fair feature adds very much to the interest. 



The methods followed in conducting Wisconsin institutes partake both of the fea- 

 tures of a school and of a conference. A petition, signed by farmers and business men, 

 is sent in to the management, in which they proffer a free hall and agree to look after 

 the local details without any expense to the State fund. The institutes are located 

 by the superintendent by selecting from the places making application in such a 

 manner as to best cover the entire State. These meetings are thoroly advertised by 

 sending out posters and programs and by notices thru the local press. 



The winter meetings are two days each. Upon the first day three sessions are held 

 and but two upon the second day. The evening session, which is held the evening of 

 the first day, is devoted to educational topics, in which the school officers usually take 

 part with the institute workers. 



In attending each meeting the conductor of the corps of workers impresses upon the 

 farmers the fact that it is their meeting and that they are expected to take an active 

 part in all the discussions. 



The speakei's give an opening lecture of from fifteen to twenty minutes in length 

 which is followed by a twenty to thirty minute discussion, the greater part of which is 

 devoted to asking questions by the farmers, and to brief, pointed answers to the same 

 by the institute workers, with an occasional short statement of experience and experi- 

 ments by those present. 



The conductor at each meeting promptly shuts off all partizan political discussions 

 or statements based on ignorance, prejudice, or superstition. Charts are used exten- 

 sively in all discussions. Models and animals are also sometimes used. 



A stock-judging institute was held a few years ago under the direction of the super- 

 intendent of farmers' institutes ?t the Waukesha County Fair, since which time sev- 

 eral counties have adopted the plan and require the judges to briefly state the reasons 

 for their awards. 



All meetings are reported to the vsuperintendent by the conductors in charge. The 

 reports of each meeting aim to give a general view of the agricultural conditions of the 

 section in which the meeting is held and are made upon uniform Vdanks furnished to 

 each conductor for the purpose. One object of these reports is to aid the superintend- 

 ent in planning future work in the same district. 



