598 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



should be maintiiined between the institute and all other forms of agricultural 

 extension work. 



In the discussion of the report of the committee on women's institutes the 

 fact was brought out that in the Province of Ontario, Canada, the women's 

 institutes are developing more rapidly, both as to the number of meetings and 

 persons in attendance, than the institutes for men. During the past year there 

 were held there 4,050 sessions of women's institutes with a total attendance of 

 105,000, besides 4 normal institutes for women with an attendance of 2,050, 

 and 20 special institutes and picnics with an estimated attendance of 3,500. 

 The success of these organizations in Ontario was deemed conclusive as to the 

 practicability of utilizing farmers' institutes in educating and interesting coun- 

 try women. 



Papers specially prepared for presentation before the association were read 

 by Director J. Withycombe, of the Oregon Station, and Charles H. Tuck, of 

 Cornell University, upon field demonstration work; by W. T. Clarke, of the 

 University of California, upon the employment of experts to visit individual 

 farmers and give advice respecting the improvement of their practice ; by G. A. 

 Gigault, of Quebec. Canada, and O. M. Olson, of the Washington College, on 

 the introduction of prize contests along agricultural lines among adult farmers; 

 by Dean H. L. Russell, of the Wisconsin University and Station, and H. M. 

 Cottrell, of the Colorado College, on field institutes; by W. J. Black. Quebec, 

 Canada, on sales fairs; by D. W. Working, of the West Virginia T'niversity, 

 on movable schools of agriculture ; and by G. A. Putnam, Toronto, Ontario, and 

 L. A. Merrill, of the Utah College and Station, on women's institutes. 



The officers of the association chosen for the ensuing year are: President, 

 G. A. Putnam, Toronto, Ontario; vice-president, A. I\I. Soule, of the Georgia 

 College; secretary -treasurer, John Hamilton, of this Office; executive commit- 

 tee, W. T. Clarke, of the University of California, chairman ; Val Keyser, of 

 the University of Nebraska ; and Franklin Dye, Trenton, N. J. 



The resolutions adopted by the association indorse the work inaugurated 

 by the Association of American Agricultural Colleges and Experiment Stations 

 with reference to federal aid for extension work in agriculture. The executive 

 committee of the association was instructed to urge upon Congress the appro- 

 priation of a sum suflicient to enable the adequate development of the work 

 undertaken by the Farmers' Institute Specialist of this Office. Institutes for 

 and by women in connection with the farmers' institutes were indorsed, as 

 well as the work of the farmers' institutes in endeavoring to interest boys and 

 girls in agriculture. 



Agricultural Education in Michigan. — The legislature of Michigan at its re- 

 cent session authorized the Michigan Agricultural College to grant 3-year 

 state teachers' certificates to such of its graduates as have completed the 

 regular 4-year course in agriculture together with a course in pedagogics cov- 

 ering at least one-half year of special instruction in that subject. The legis- 

 lature also empowered the governor to appoint a commission of not less than 

 five nor more than seven members to make a careful study of the conditions 

 of elementary, industrial, and agricultural education in the State, and to 

 present a report setting forth these conditions and making recommendations 

 for a plan of elementary, industrial, and agricultural training in the public 

 schools. This reiiort is to be su1>mitted or or before January 1. 1911. 



Y. M. C. A. Lecture Course in Agriculture. — A recent number of Farm and 

 Ranch reports an attempt made last year in the Riverside fCal.) Y. M. C. A. 

 to develop a course of lectures for citrus growers. The experiment was so 

 successful that this year the illustrated lectures will include fvery phase of 



