FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 107 



In nearly every class we have put in a few books that are elective. We 

 mention four or Ave books, from which the reader can take his choice. I 

 will go through the other classes and name the books offered. Class two, 

 *Xive Stock." The "First Principles of Agriculture," Mills & Shaw. The 

 same book as used in class one, but it takes up the second half of the 

 book. Second, "Horses, Cattle, Sheep and Swine," by Geo. W. Curtis. 

 It is a treatise on breeds of live stock, and by reading this a man can get 

 an idea of the breed of stock best adapted to his individual needs. "Stock 

 Breeding" is the third book. It takes up the breeding of all classes of 

 animals, and treats it in a practical way from the standpoint of a prac- 

 tical farmer. Now in live stock, we have so many and varied interests, 

 that it would be necessary to mention several books, from which the 

 reader can take his choice. "American "Dairying;" "Cattle Breeding;" 

 "Shepherd's Manual;" "Swine Husbandry;" "Horse Breeding;" "Practi- 

 cal Poultry Keeper." 



In class three, Garden and Orchard, the books recommended are, "The 

 Practical Fruit Grower," "How the Garden Pays," "Ornamental Garden- 

 ing," "Insects and Insecticides," "Gardening for Pleasure," "Propagation 

 of Plants," "Home Floriculture," and "Practical Floriculture." 



In class four. Home Making, "Helps for Home Makers," "Anna Maria's 

 Housekeeping," "A Study of Child Nature," "Hygiene of the Kitchen," 

 and "How the Other Half Lives." 



Class Five, Political Science: "Elements of Political Economy" and 

 "American Commonwealth" (two volumes), by Bryce. 



In order to complete a course, a member selects some three classes, 

 ordering the books, whenever he is ready for them, and wherever he 

 pleases, but the secretary of the Farm Home Reading Circle has been 

 very successful in securing wholesale prices on all these books; we get 

 the books at what they cost, with the postage added. You can get one 

 book, or all the books in a course, or in a class, but usually one book at 

 a time is ordered. Members read this one book, and they are then 

 requested, but not required, to send to the secretary for questions on this 

 book. The secretary sends examination questions, and then the reader 

 answers these questions, just as would be the case with a class of 

 students. The secretary looks over the papers, and if they are satisfac- 

 tory, he sends a certificate showing that they have finished the book. 

 When they finish a class, they receive another certificate, and when they 

 finish the three classes they receive a diploma, which states that they 

 have finished the prescribed course of reading of the Farm Home Reading 

 Circle. 



We shall issue several of these diplomas this winter to members who 

 have finished the three courses; don't think that they have done it in one 

 year, because they are all busy people who have to read as they get 

 leisure, and some of them have been at it ever since the Circle was organ- 

 ized, and some will finish this winter. If you do not wish, you are not 

 required to send in the rei)orts at all. You can order the books and get 

 all the privileges of membership without any reports or examinations. 



If there is one subject in which I am more interested than another, it is 

 the education of the farmer, for I believe that there is need of it. Not 

 that the farmers as a. class are ignorant — I think that the average farmer 

 is more intelligent than the average workingman of any other class, but 



