TENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART V 141 



This question of publicity is not theoretical or original, but is being 

 practiced the world over, and if Iowa is not to suffer by the aggressive 

 campaign being carried on by others she must wake up and do what 

 others have been doing for years. 



STATISTICS. 



The old statute relating to crop statistics, having become obsolete, was 

 repealed by the last general assembly and a new law enacted in lieu there- 

 of. Under the new law not only crop statistics, but data relative to agri- 

 culture, education, agricultural labor, live stock, poultry and eggs may be 

 gathered. It is made the duty of each and every assessor to report upon 

 such statistics as may be called for by the department of agriculture. 

 Blanks have already been prepared and sent out to the county auditors 

 for distribution with the assessors. Previous to the enactment of this 

 law reliable information upon our live stock statistics could only be had 

 by the census report every five years. The same was true with reference 

 to the poultry and egg production, farm labor, etc. 



INSTITUTES. 



In eighty-four of the ninety-nine counties of the state, farmers institutes 

 were conducted during the fiscal year closing June 30, 1909. In at least 

 two other counties reporting no institutes short courses were held. We 

 do not have a report of the total number of short courses held in the state 

 the past year but know the number was greater than for the previous 

 year. 



The following prizes were awarded for the best exhibit of corn by 

 farmers' institutes or corn clubs at the Iowa State Fair and Exposition: 



First, $60.00, Warren County Farmers' Institute. 

 Second, $50.00, Polk County Farmers' Institute. 

 Third, $40.00, Packwood Corn Club, Keokuk Clounty. 

 Fourth, $30.00, Dallas County Farmers' Institute. 

 Fifth, $20.00, Sigourney Corn Club, Keokuk County. 



The law^ relative to filing institute reports was amended by the last 

 general assembly. As it now stands all entitled to receive state aid must 

 file a report through the department of agriculture not later than June 

 1st. Upon receipt of the report properly filled out the secretary of the 

 state board of agriculture will certify same to the State Auditor, who 

 will issue a warrant for the amount due according to law and send said 

 warrant to the county treasurer of the county in which said institute was 

 held. It is in turn paid out by the county treasurer upon application of 

 the executive committee of the institute. 



In my judgment, our institutes could be improved by having some 

 central head where dates could be anang^^d in circuits that speakers 

 might more readily reach places of holding institutes at the least waste of 

 time and money. A list of available speakers could be arranged, also 

 questions of importance to the farmers suggested for discussion. In this 

 manner whenever questions directly affecting the farmer were under con- 



