KEPORT OF SITPEEINTENDENT. 



President J. L. Snyder: 



Sir — I herewith submit a report of the Farmers' Institutes' for the 

 year ending June 30, 1903. During the season, all of the county insti- 

 tutes heretofore organized have been maintained and two-day institutes 

 were arranged for each of them. All of these were held, except one for 

 Barry county which had to be given up on account of smallpox. For 

 the same cause the institute in Allegan county was postponed until 

 April and, owing to the late date, the attendance was quite small. The 

 following counties organized institute societies during the year: Kala- 

 mazoo, Montmorency, Leelanau, Houghton and Baraga. The only coun- 

 ties in the lower peninsula that are without an institute society at the 

 present time are Missaukee and Roscommon. During the season 210 

 one-day institutes were held in addition to the county two-day institutes. 

 The statistics recording the attendance at the institutes are herewith 

 submitted. 



During the year, one hundred persons have given more or less time to 

 the institute work. Some of these have spent eight or ten weeks in the 

 field, but the average length of time has not been more than three or four 

 and in a considerable number of cases the attendance has been limited 

 to but one or two institutes. Of this number fifty were selected on ac- 

 count of their success^ as practical farmers and fruit growers. Twelve 

 were women who talked on topics relating to the home and household 

 matters. Sixteen were members of the faculty of the Agricultural Col- 

 lege and twelve were from the State University. The Normal schools 

 and Department of Public Instruction furnished six speakers upon 

 topics relating to educational matters and six were members of the For- 

 estry and Good Roads commissions. The members of the commissions 

 and the others who are regularly in the employ of the State served with- 

 out recompense except actual traveling expenses. 



From the fact that during the months in which the institutes are held 

 the faculty of the Agricultural College are not only busy with the reg- 

 ular students but have at the same time under their instruction some 

 one hundred and fifty special students, it is practically impossible for 

 them to give much time to institute work without neglecting their 



