46 REPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



plied by the agricultural colleges and experiment stations, and they 

 contributed 3.119 days of time to lecture work. 



The holding of examinations for farmer boys, with prizes ad- 

 mitting to the short course at the State agricultural college; peri- 

 patetic teachers of agriculture Avho visit rural schools and give in- 

 struction; railroad trains sent out as emergency specials; field dem- 

 onstration meetings; the organization of agricultural sections in 

 teachers' institutes; conducting stock and gi-ain judging schools; 

 the assignment of representatives of county school departments to 

 participation in institute work, and the enlargement of schools of 

 instruction for farmers' institute workers are some of the new fea- 

 tures of progress in ^he institute work of 1906. 



The Eleventh Annual Convention of the American Association of 

 Farmers' Institute Workers was held in Baton Rouge. La.. November 

 12-14, 1906, and was attended by 116 delegates representing 37 States 

 and Territories and 4 of the Provinces of Canada. The proceed- 

 ings of this convention have been 2:)ublislied as a bulletin of this 

 Office (seep. 310). 



In order that the Office may be in position to act efficiently as a 

 central rallying point and clearing house for the movement for wider 

 diffusion of education among the masses of our I'ural population, 

 it is necessary that the funds for its maintenance shall l)e largely 

 increased. When this is done it Avill be possible to aid the State 

 departments of agriculture and the agricultural colleges and ex- 

 periment stations in increasing the efficiency not only of the farmers' 

 institutes, but also of other forms of extension work in agricultural 

 education w^hich may be of value in connection with our educational 

 system. 



In order to do this there is needed a force of experts to devote 

 themselves to the study of the pedagogical problems involved in 

 agricultural extension work; to consult and cooj)erate with the State 

 authorities and leaders in education; to prepare publications, charts, 

 and illustrative material for use in extension work, and to make 

 demonstrations of proper methods for such work before representa- 

 tive assemblies in the various States. 



PUBLICATIONS. 



The publications of the Office may be conveniently grouped in four 

 main classes: (1) Experiment Station Record, which gives a tech- 

 nical review of the current literature of agricultural investigation 

 throughout the world ; Experiment Station AVork. which is pub- 

 lished periodically in the Farmers' Bulletin series of the Department 

 and gives a popular summary of some of the more salient practical 



