FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 291 



ALPENA COUNTY ALPENA. 



Alpena is pretty well north, and even its enterprising people 

 admit that it is new. Lumbering is still an important industry, and 

 other manufactories are coming into the town. As we visited the town 

 for the first in winter, when the snow covered the ground, and as our 

 time was fully occupied at the Institute, we had little opportunity to 

 judge of the value of that region, except from statements made by the 

 people. Everyone we met believed in his county, and predicted a good 

 future for the agriculture scarcely yet well established. Lands are 

 cheap and productive according to all reports; the people unusually ener- 

 getic. Farmers are not yet very numerous in this county, nor have many 

 of them had a long experience in the business. About fifty was the aver- 

 age attendance; no women seen among them. The townspeople, with 

 rare exceptions, gave little heed to the good work attempted. We think 

 with some efforts another year, more may be induced to attend. 



ANTRIM COUNTY — MANCELONA. 



The Institute was held in the Congregational Church at Mancelona in 

 January. During the first and second sessions, the Institute was not as 

 largely attended as could be desired, but the attendance and interest 

 seemed to grow with each session. The program was quite full, and for 

 this reason hardly time enough was left for the discussion of the various 

 subjects. The local newspaper, the "Mancelona Herald," aided greatly in 

 advertising the Institute, but the attendance seemed to come largely 

 from one section of the county. It is to be regretted that farmers from 

 all over the county did not avail themselves of the privileges of the 

 Institute. 



ARENAC COUNTY — STANDISH. 



The attendance at this Institute was small, owing to the lateness of 

 the final decision to hold an Institute. The interest, however, was good 

 from the start, and the papers by local and outside speakers were thor- 

 oughly discussed. Much of Arenac county lies comparatively low and 

 level, with a heavy soil, particularly adapted to the grasses. Dairying 

 is already an important industry in the county, and dairy topics received 

 especial attention at the Institute. The closing session was varied by 

 educational subjects and by music by pupils from the high school. 



BARRY COUNTY — HASTINGS. < 



This Institute was a success in point of interest and attendance. The 

 weather was severely cold, and the hall was both poorly lighted and 

 lieated. It was impossible to keep warm in the rear of the room, and 

 we think that without an exception the speakers all, took cold. The pro- 

 gram was one of great length, the fullest in fact of any Institute we 

 attended, and the subject matter was all good. The only criticism heard 

 was that there was so much of it that there was no time left for discus- 



