farmers' institutes in the united states. 309 



heretofore has been chiefly for the purpose of the discussion of 

 methods for the introduction of agriculture into the public schools. 

 This year similar farmers' institute sections are to be formed in the 

 several district teachers' associations as well. 



The superintendent of farmers' institutes for Saskatchewan, 

 Canada, has introduced a feature into his institutes that has been 

 quite popular and successful. In the stock-growing sections he has 

 converted the morning and afternoon sessions of the farmers' insti- 

 tute into stock-judging schools, holding the regular institute meetings 

 at night. 



A number of State directors of institutes have been holding field 

 meetings successfully, examining crops, spraying fruit, inspecting 

 fields, gardens, farmyards, stables, etc. ; examining animals and crops, 

 and identifying fungus diseases and injurious insects. 



In one other State special sessions of institutes have been held, one 

 or two each month, and in another the main addresses have been 

 materially shortened, the major portion of the time being devoted to 

 discussion. 



In the Province of Quebec, Canada, the director has undertaken 

 to classify the subjects that the institutes are to treat into groups, 

 and the lecture force is selected with a view to meeting the special 

 requirements of each group. It is stated that this classification has 

 assisted in organizing the work in a more methodical way and has 

 enabled the director to control the teaching force in such a way as to 

 meet more satisfactorily the special needs of different localities. The 

 grouping at present is under the following general heads: (1) Feeding 

 the milk cow; (2) the breeding of the bacon pig; (3) agricultural instruc- 

 tion in rural schools; (4) fodder plants and herbs; (5) cultivation of 

 the soil; (6) improvement of live stock; (7) bee culture on the farm; 

 (8) poultry rearing; (9) fruits and fruit trees, and (10) gardening. 



Each of these topics is subdivided into a number of items, as, for 

 instance, topic No. 5, on the cultivation of the soil. This is treated 

 under five divisions or subtopics: (a) Rotation; (b) tilling the soil; 

 (c) drainage; (d) farmyard manures and commercial fertilizers, and 

 (e) green manure. 



This is an attempt to defuie in a practical way the scope of the 

 institute, and if developed will result in a clearer understanding of 

 what the institute is organized to do and the precise methods which 

 it proposes to use in carrying out its purpose. 



Two new features have developed during the year in connection 

 with the institute trains or railway specials. The method in most of 

 the States heretofore has been to endeavor to cover as much ground 

 in a given period as possible. As a consequence the stops at the 

 several points have necessarily been quite brief, limited to from 

 thirty to forty minutes. One State, this year, has departed from 



