AUTHORIZING ACT. 



The Law Authorizing the Holding of Farmers' Institutes, and Providing 

 Funds Therefor. No. 137. Public Acts of 1899. 



An Act to authorize the State Board of Agriculture to hold Institutes 

 and to establish and maintain courses of reading and lectures for the 

 instruction of citizens of this State in the various branches of agri- 

 culture, mechanic arts, domestic economy, and the sciences relating 

 thereto, and making an appropriation therefor for the fiscal ypars 

 ending June thirty, nineteen hundred, and June thirty, nineteen hun- 

 dred one, and to provide a tax to meet the same. 



The People of the State of Michigan enact: 



Section 1. That the State Board of Agriculture is hereby authorized 

 to hold Institutes and to establish and maintain courses of reading and 

 lectures for the instruction of citizens of this State in the various 

 branches of agriculture, mechanic arts, domestic economy, and the 

 sciences relating thereto. The said Board shall formulate such rules 

 and regulations as it shall deem proper to carry on the work contem- 

 plated in this act, and may employ such agent or agents to perform such 

 duties in connection therewith as it shall deem best. 



Sec. 2. In each county where an Institute Society shall be organized 

 and maintained under the provisions of this act, the State Board of 

 Agriculture shall annually hold at least one Institute of at least two 

 days in length. When twenty or more persons, residents of any county 

 in this State, shall organize themselves into a society to be called the 

 County Farmers' Institute Society, for the purpose of carry- 

 ing out the objects of this act, and in accordance with rules and regu- 

 lations furnished by the State Board of Agriculture, such society shall 

 be deemed an Institute Society in the meaning of this act: Provided, 

 That not more than one such Institute Society in any county shall be 

 authorized by this act. The State Board of Agriculture shall hold 

 One day Institutes in such counties of the State as it may deem ex- 

 pedient, but not to exceed four annually in any one county. The State 

 Board of Agriculture may also hold, at such places and times as it may 

 determine, special Institutes, at which the primary object shall be to 

 furnish a school of instruction in the lines specified in section one of 

 this act. 



Sec. 3. For the purposes mentioned in the i^receding section, the 

 State Board of Agriculture may use such sum as it shall deem proper, 

 not exceeding the sum of five thousand five hundred dollars, in the year 

 ending June thirty, nineteen hundred, and five thousand five hundred 

 dollars in the year ending June thirty, nineteen hundred one: Pro- 

 vided, That two hundred dollars of this appropriation shall be avail- 

 able before June thirty, eighteen hundred ninetj^-nine. 



