SIXTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 61 



and fees to speakers, etc. We employed six outside speakers last 

 year. Our programs are made up by the program committee, 

 elected from the members of the institute at one of our previous 

 meetings before the regular session, which we generally hold a 

 month or so before that time. 



I would like to say a word of praise and appreciation to our 

 Iowa State College at Ames for their help. We have called upon 

 them and have had the great pleasure of having Prof. Bousky on 

 the Dairy and Butter question ; also Professors Gay and Dinsmore 

 on corn, and Prof Chas. Reinbott on Seed Corn, after which they 

 judged their respective classes. We also had Prof. Todd of 

 Atlantic give us a talk and he judged our poultry for us. 



Now, these talks and lectures were followed up by spirited 

 discussions and were very interesting and of general benefit to 

 all. We always have a woman's session ; generally a half day or 

 so, on some topic, in regard tO' home life and domestic economy. 



Last year we gave prizes to the boys and girls whoi wrote the 

 best essays on the advantages of living on the farm. 



The object of our organization is tO' unite the farmers to assist 

 each other in fostering and protecting their interests, and by the 

 exchange of ideas, and the discussion of questions, educate our- 

 selves in the most improved methods of agriculture, horticulture 

 and animal husbandry in all important phases ; and to increase our 

 efficiency in domestic economy, home life and good citizenship. 

 Mr. Thatcher, of Page County: ■ I simply want to say, that 

 the greatest trouble we have had, was to get the crowd out. I 

 find as time goes on, there is a little rivalry springs up. Our 

 programs and dates are fixed by the executive committee. Last 

 year we held our institute at Shenandoah ; we had a corn show in 

 conection with it, and also a stock judging school. We had three 

 outside speakers from Ames, and Mr. Atkinson of the Home- 

 stead. It cost us about $261, I believe, in money, and about 

 $140 in implements. The way we did this, we started out with 

 a subscription paper. As to getting the boys interested — well, 

 I am on this subject like I am on the liquor question; they will 

 drink until they are dead. We gave some premiums amounting 

 to about $30 to the boys. Almost all of the boys over the county 



