120 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



afternoon, here in Grand Rapids, and he said, "You cannot imagine how 

 much good we get out of our dental association," and he said, *'It has long 

 been a wonder to me why farmers do not organize, because they could 

 accomplish so much more," and the gentleman was right, and every 

 farmer who will think about this subject will see that he is right. 



These Farmers' Institutes, as we follow them from county to county, 

 show many familiar faces; people who have received sufficient benefit to 

 prompt them to follow them from place to place, and they are receiving 

 benefit which they say is of value to them, far beyond the expense of time 

 and transportation. 



But neighbors, and farmer friends, how are we going to reach the 

 majority of the very people we wish to reach with the Farmers' Insti- 

 tutes? You are here from somewhere in the county or State, but how 

 many of your neighbors are not here? How many of your neighbors are 

 at home, and how are you going to reach them? There is just one way 

 to reach them, and that is to take the Farmers' Institute right into your 

 own neighborhood, and you can do this with unity of action and 

 organization. 



Now we have an organization among our farmers which has been men- 

 tioned here, and it is known as the Grange. Many of you are well 

 acquainted with it, but I am sorry that there are few organizations in 

 this section, in comparison with what there ought to be. Take this 

 organization, which has made it possible for you to gather in these 

 Farmers' Institutes all over the State, which has made possible the gain- 

 ing of knowledge and information you have had the past winter. 



Take these organizations into your own neighborhood ; put one in every 

 school district, and then have every man, woman, girl or boy, who is old 

 enough, join that Institute or the Grange; it will cost but little; you can 

 support a farmers' institute, and have a club, a lyceum, and a debating 

 society all in one, and you can have as good an institute every week or 

 month as you have had today. These Granges furnish the key to the 

 storehouse'of knowledge. Any man or woman who steps inside the doors 

 of the Grange, and becomes acquainted with the workings, will find a 

 key to fit some closed door in their minds, and which will open an 

 avenue of education that will prove of more benefit to you than these 

 institutes, which you can only attend once a year. 



Think about this matter, take it up and go at it in a way that will 

 enable you to reach all your neighbors; just as soon as they get an insti- 

 tute they will be as enthusiastic as you. Talk the matter over and 

 organize. 



