FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 295 



unoccupied land exists in the county, especially adapted to sheep raising^ 

 and numbers are beginning to engage in that business. On the more 

 elevated timber lands of the county fruit growing is successfully carried 

 on. The question of forage plants adapted to that region attracted much 

 attention at the Institute. 



DICKINSON COUNTY — NORWAY. 



We have to report a very small attendance at Norway. Dickinson 

 county has considerable good farming land, but in common with most 

 parts of the upper peninsula, farming has not been attempted until very 

 recently. Many of the farmers are former miners, and have taken na 

 special interest in improved methods of agriculture. Nevertheless, those 

 in attendance at the Institute were intelligent, energetic men, who are 

 very much in earnest in regard to the agricultural prospects of the county. 

 The meeting was poorly advertised owing to the absence of the secre- 

 tary, and no doubt would have been better attended if this had not been 

 neglected. The lectures were well received by those present, and we 

 feel confident that succeeding Institutes that will be held in this county 

 will be well attended. There certainly is great room for work in this 

 direction, and I believe when the objects of the Institute work are thor- 

 oughly known the people will be glad to take advantage of them. This i» 

 a large county, and the location of the Institute should be changed annu- 

 ally in order to better reach the residents of the different sections. 



BATON COUNTY — CHARLOTTE. 



The opening day of this meeting was cold and stormy, but the attend- 

 ance was fair and increased from session to session until the large court 

 room had not sufficient capacity to hold the crowds that came. The 

 officers were capable and faithful, and the conductor had but little to da 

 except to say his say. In this county the farmers have done a good deal 

 of associated work and this adds very much to the ability of local 

 workers. The papers and discussions which followed were good. Eaton 

 in soil and population is one of our best counties. It is hard to tell what 

 special subject interested them the most here. Road making, dairying^ 

 and wheat raising seemed about equally to claim attention. The Insti- 

 tute was held on the day for the annual meeting of the agricultural 

 society, and this may have detracted a little from interest in the Insti- 

 tute work, for Eaton county is justly proud of its fair. 



EMMET COUNTY — HARBOR SPRINGS. 



The Institute at this place we found under the general management of 

 an old college classmate, Mr. John Swift, and although not noted in the 

 past as taking especially after his name in action, certainly kept the 

 meeting moving successfully. The program was much broken by the 

 failure of outside speakers to reach their appointment at this place, still 

 the time was well filled by local talent. The discussions were all lively,^ 

 and on each topic much of interest to the section was drawn out. We 



