cxxviii Department of Home Economics. 



Garden; 3d, The Laundry; 4th, Household Bacteriology. Insuf- 

 ficient funds prevented the publication of the fifth bulletin in the 

 series, which is the usual number furnished in a year. Each bulletin 

 is accompanied by a discussion paper. It is optional with the reader 

 whether this. discussion paper shall be filled out and returned for 

 examination. Each year there are more discussion papers returned 

 then formerly, but it is noticeable that the farm women take little 

 time to write and it is difficult to arouse the interest of the majority 

 in this feature. Many ask if they may have the bulletins without 

 returning the discussion paper. It is believed that much more 

 good will be accomplished by permitting this than by exacting this 

 work on the part of the readers. Those who would take the 

 trouble to write out answers to the questions are not those, as a 

 rule, who need so much the help from the Reading-Course. Close 

 observation has led to the belief that many women use these 

 bulletins who have not the time nor the habit of literary work which 

 would bring an answer to the discussion paper. 



A large demand is received from residents outside of New York- 

 State for the bulletins of this course. Our more technical bulletins 

 are asked for to be used in connection with schools and club work 

 in dift"ercnt states of the union. While we have not been able to 

 comply with these requests, we would suggest that an arrangement 

 be made with the printer by which these bulletins can be furnished 

 at a nominal cost, thus costing the State no extra expense and 

 making the work of the college of broader use. 



There are twenty-four (24) clubs meeting regularly, either once 

 or twice per month, with a definite program. The bulletins of the 

 Farmers' Wives Reading-Course are used as a basis of study but 

 the clubs are encouraged to take up a literary subject in connec- 

 tion with the bulletins, thus broadening the interest of the club 

 members. There are 549 active club members. These clubs are 

 distinctly rural and do not include any clubs in villages. Whenever 

 possible, visits are made to these clubs and in several cases two 

 sessions have been held at the time the visit was made. The pro- 

 grams for these meetings arc arranged with talks from the instruc- 

 tors in the Department of Home Economics upon subjects pertain- 

 ing to the work presented in the bulletins. In addition, the members 

 of the club furnish assistance in the program. The meetings are 

 made public and some subjects are presented which will be of 

 interest to all members of the farm family. 



