296 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



confess we were surprised to find such thorough, up-to-date, large farm- 

 ers living so far north in the State. The sessions were well attended, 

 on the last day about reaching the capacity of the hall; yet the date of 

 the meeting was unfortunate. It should be a month earlier, before the 

 farmers are engaged in lumbering, which is the winter work of many. 

 Outside assistance' to Institutes in this section should be largely along 

 the lines of horticulture and dairying. They are adapted to the country 

 and the summer resort business makes both lines of work very profitable. 



GENESEE COUNTY — GRAND BLANC. 



The Institute at Grand Blanc was largely attended. The hall, which 

 holds six or seven hundred people, was not large enough to accommodate 

 those who came at any session, and each evening the overflow was large. 

 The organization at Grand Blanc is very complete, an Institute having 

 been held each year for several years past. Hence the local speakers 

 were well prepared. The Institute was well advertised, the ofticers of 

 the association were prompt and energetic in the management of the 

 meeting. The only criticism, if any, regarding the program, is that it 

 was too full and did not leave enough time for discussion of topics pre- 

 sented. This is a common fault in Institute meetings, and care should be 

 taken in this respect. It is easier to fill in time than to cut out topics 

 already on the program. In a county like Genesee, two or three insti- 

 tutes held in different sections would each be as well attended as this 

 one. If possible, the location should be changed each year in order to 

 reach the people from all parts of the county. Farmers will not, to any 

 great extent, go more than five or six miles to attend institutes. The 

 speakers employed by the Board of Agriculture were well received, and 

 most of them were entertained by the people of Grand Blanc at no 

 expense to the Institute fund. 



GLADWIN COUNTY — GLADWIN. 



Rough roads and the sudden advent of winter weather kept many of 

 local speakers from being present, and diminished the attendance during 

 the day sessions; however, each evening the old court room was crowded 

 io the doors by the townspeople. Gladwin and vicinity is paying a good 

 deal of attention to orchard planting. The land being rolling provides 

 nicely for thorough atmospheric drainage, so that a few years hence will 

 see Gladwin developed into a fruit county. 



GRATIOT COUNTY — ALMA. 



Among the more successful Institutes held in the year, the one at Alma 

 takes front rank. The interest shown by the managers and the com- 

 munity, both in town and county, was very encouraging, not only to the 

 farmer, but to the tradespeople as well. The State Institute occupied 

 two days, but the local management, by its interest in the subject, held 

 an excellent institute during the day preceding the regular one. 

 Unboundied enthusiasm was a prominent feature of this Institute from 



