FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 293 



and flew open the minute there was an opportunity. Branch county is the 

 home of some of the best farmers of which Michigan is so justly proud. 

 These men were present, and with their wives had prepared papers for 

 the program, and entered into lively and profitable discussions of themes 

 of interest. The evening sessions, held in the church above, taxed the 

 seating capacity of that large auditorium. The superb singing of the 

 Choral Union, under Dr. Andrews, and the high school choir, directed by 

 Principal E. H. Harriman, added great attraction to the evening 

 programs. 



CALHOUN COUNTY BATTLE CREEK. 



Those of us who had previously attended meetings of the Calhoun 

 Farmers' Institute knew that organizing under the State law would 

 not diminish the attendance, but rather add to the enthusiasm which for 

 ten years and more had marked their Institutes. Nor were we disap- 

 pointed, for, though the opening morning found the streets one sheet 

 of ice, and the clouds dropping rain which froze as it struck, there was 

 no dampening of ardor from these slight causes. The auditorium was 

 an ideal place for the comfort of the audience, but when it came to 

 coaxing the woman's section, led by Mrs. Mayo, to meet "down stairs in 

 the kitchen," the ladies said nay, and overflowed into the church parlors 

 near by, where standing room soon demanded a premium. Though the 

 Battle Creek farmers know a good thing and appreciate it, they were gen- 

 erous, and after a slight effort to the contrary voted to hold the next 

 Institute at Albion. 



CASS COUNTY — CASSOPOLIS. 



The late arrival of the Institute workers, together with the freezing 

 rainstorm of the night before^ made the first session short and the audi- 

 ence small. This pushed some of the papers into the afternoon program, 

 which was already overcrowded. At but few, if any. Institutes was 

 greater interest manifest, as shown by continuation of discussion after 

 formal adjournment, and by early return after meals. It is worthy of 

 note, with a view to correction, that the program for each session had too 

 many articles, and this left too little time for discussion. Great pains 

 were taken by the local committee to have the Institute workers person- 

 ally meet as many as possible of those present. The local association 

 was fortunate in its choice of an excellent presiding oflScer, one 

 acquainted with many of those present, and one who allowed no time to 

 go to waste. Another noticeable fact was the number of young people 

 and younger farmers present. In many counties a large portion of the 

 audience were men gvRx and bent with years of toil. 



CHARLEVOIX COUNTY — CHARLEVOIX. 



Charlevoix is a beautiful summer resort in the midst of a new and 

 thriving agricultural section adapted to fruit growing and general farm- 

 ing. The Institute was a success in every way, owing largely to the 

 enterprise of the committee of arrangements and the liberality of the 

 local paper, the "Charlevoix Democrat," which published programs and 



