14 ' IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



it creales no interest or enthusiasm, and I think does not develop the 

 local interest or talent as our plan does. It may be cheaper than our 

 method, but is it better? 



What I like about our institute law is the freedom it gives every 

 couni.y to choose the lecturers that the people want to hear. It puts 

 upon every county the responsibility for the successful outcome of 

 the convention. Our plan brings out hidden local talent that no central 

 head would ever discover, and being run by home men, there is greater 

 liberty to ask questions and to draw out practical information. 



But in order to have a successful institute it is necessary that the 

 orgaaization have some capable man or men at the head. If the riglit 

 man can be found for secretary, happy ought that county to be. If 

 perchanco he is hard to find, put all the hard work on the president or 

 executive committee. It is necessary that some one puts a good deal 

 of timf- and thought into it — time and thought for which he is never 

 paid except by the consciousness of trying to do good. 



And if some one can stimulate the thoughts and activities of his 

 fellov/s, if he can incite them to more thorough work, make better farm- 

 er:^ of them, see them improve in material wealth and in home build- 

 ing, that ought to be some satisfaction even' if he does not make every 

 stroke pay. 



The president, or secretary, or executive committee, or some one' 

 needs to do effective work in various ways for some weeks in advance 

 of tho meeting. 



Some one must do a little thinking during the year. He must 

 talk with the leading farmers and find out what they are thinking 

 abom — -get their ideas of the subjects that ought to be discussed, and 

 the men they would like to hear. He must be arranging, or at least 

 meditating on topics for discussion long before the meeting. No hastily 

 prepared program is likely to be as satisfactory as one deliberately 

 thought out. If everything is left till the last week many disappoiut- 

 ments raay be expected. 



Speakers must be engaged while they have open dates, for our best 

 institute workers are in great demand during the winter season, when 

 most of the institutes are held. 



The institute ought to be moved from place to place in the county, 

 so that all may have its advantages. The State appropriation is for the 

 benefit of the people and this should be kept in mind. It should be a 

 movable feast both in respect to date and locality. But the date and 

 place ought not be fixed a year in advance unless such preliminaries 

 are arranged by the inviting town as will insure its success. 



The State appropriation is not large enough to provide the best 

 talent from abroad and meet other expenses incident to a good conven- 

 tion, and we must choose between mostly home talent with small outlay, 

 and aid from local business men to obtain strong men in the special- 

 ties we wish diccussed. 



Ii has been our practice of late years to leave the fixing of the time 

 and place to the officers of the county association. They are then 

 able to open negotiations with the towns wanting the next meeting. 



