318 Twenty-Second Annual Report of the 





REPORT OF BUREAU OF FARMERS' INSTITUTES 



Bv Edward van Alstyne, Director 



The work of this Bureau during the last four months of the 

 fiscal year, ending September 30, 1914, was materially curtailed 

 for lack of sufficient funds. This necessitated the abandonment 

 of considerable of the " follow-up " work, much to the disappoint- 

 ment of those who had expected to receive it. It also materially 

 and seriously interfered with some lines of experiments which 

 had been in operation for two years, and should continue for a 

 year or two more to reach satisfactory conclusions. Some of the 

 most important of these were saved by Mr. D. P. Witter, who 

 voluntarily carried them on without compensation. The cow-test- 

 ing work was likewise affected. Serious handicap was avoided 

 by assistance from the funds of the Cooperative Bureau. It was 

 with much regret that the Director for the same reason was obliged 

 to deny requests of farm bureau managers for cooperative work, 

 and of granges, farmers' clubs, and other local organizations for 

 lectures and demonstration work, such as they had hitherto re- 

 ceived. Only by the assistance of the farm bureau managers was 

 it possible to hold the county conferences to arrange for institutes 

 and to perfect local arrangements. These conditions are empha- 

 sized that the contrast between the figures given this year and last 

 may be accounted for. 



With much satisfaction the work has been again taken up since 

 the Governor approved the legislative appropriation in the supply 

 bill for the maintenance of the work in its various lines, without 

 which all such must have come to a standstill. 



Aside from the above limitations, the work has been eminently 

 successful from the standpoint of both the workers and those re- 

 ceiving it, as manifested in the reports, personal letters and word- 

 of-mouth expressions of appreciation. A few more institutes 

 were held than during the year preceding, with an average attend- 

 ance slightly increased ; this in spite of the fact that an increased 

 number of the institutes have been held in small hamlets. 



