THE farmers' institutes IN THE UNITED STATES. 339 



that the instruction shall be so directly related to his occupation as to 

 be of positive aid in increasing his productive power. 



An experiment in this direction has been under way in Kansas 

 under the direction of the superintendent of institutes of that State 

 which appears, partially at least, to have solved the problem of more 

 and better instruction every year. The plan consists in holding each 

 month in the year and upon the same day of the month one institute 

 in each county, with the same topic for discussion, the places to be 

 selected by the local committee in the county. At the beginning of 

 the year a list of 12 topics, one for each month, is forwarded by the 

 state director to the local managers to be discussed the same day in 

 every county throughout the State. 



If the time were fixed for the fourth Friday in each month, and 

 the month were January, and the topic the rearing of poultry, this 

 subject would be discussed all over the State on the fourth Friday of 

 that month. Similar topics suited to the agricultural operations of 

 the season would be assigned for every other month, and thus the 

 institute would be active in aid of agriculture in every county in 

 the State during the entire year. By publishing the list of topics 

 in advance full opportunity would be given to prepare for the dis- 

 cussion of the subjects to be taken up each month. 



This does not supplant the present form of institute, but supple- 

 ments it and extends its influence by taking advantage of the impulse 

 which the regular institutes with their corps of state speakers furnish 

 to keep the others active through the season. 



In making up a list of subjects state directors should consult the 

 county managers, and suitable topics be agreed upon for the suc- 

 ceeding year. The monthly institutes would be managed and car- 

 ried on by local people, and if found advantageous and sufficiently 

 popidar could be held more frequently than once a month. 



l^)y this means important subjects may be brought to the attention 

 of all of the farmers of a State upon a given date, the subject would 

 be thoroughly discussed both in the institutes and in the homes of the 

 people, and the enthusiasm occasioned by its universal discussion 

 would tend to stimulate many to put the recommendations into 

 practice. 



This plan has many advantages. It will organize institute work 

 throughout the State, and extend its benefits to small outlying locali- 

 ties where the regular meetings are rarely held. It will develop 

 local men and wouien who without it have little opportunity to serve 

 their neighbors by relating their experience obtained after many 

 years of successful farming. It will encourage and stimulate the 

 reading habit among the members of the institute, and enable the 

 national and state departments of agriculture and the experiment 

 stations to send bulletins where they will be of direct l)enefit in in- 

 creasing production and in improving rural life. 



