FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 



REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT. 



Introductory.— The work of the year ha.s been conducted along the 

 lines of previous years. In addition to the usual otfice work of securing 

 and assigning speakers, making up the schedule of institutes, etc., meet- 

 ings were held as follows: Two district institutes were held in August, 

 1902, and the fifth annual conference of institute workers in October of 

 the same year; 178 two-day institutes and three one-day dairy institutes, 

 making a total of 1S4 meetings held. Nearly all of these meetings were 

 previously arranged for, as per schedule which appears later in this report. 

 As heretofore, two speakers were assigned to each of the two-day insti- 

 tutes; one speaker was sent to each of the one-day meetings. A lecturer 

 on domestic economy was sent to thirty-eight of the two-day institutes. 

 The average attendance at the several meetings held was somewhat re- 

 duced, as might be expected, from the greater number of meetings. This 

 may reasonably be expected from the plan of holding supplemental insti- 

 tutes at outlying points; those who can attend a nearby institute will not 

 make the same effort as heretofore to reach meetings further away. 



Thus far, the plan of holding supplemental institutes at points mid- 

 way between the places of annual meetings is working well, and the gen- 

 eral management feels warranted in continuing the plan, the aim being 

 to place these meetings at new points from year to year until meetings 

 have been held within easy reach of every farmer in the State. 



For a more complete statement of the work of the year, the reader 

 is referred to the several divisions of this report which follow. 



DISTRICT FARMERS' INSTITUTE. 



A district farmers' institute for horticulturists and gardeners was held 

 at Princeton, August 20-27, 1002. A two-day meeting of five sessions 

 was held. The average attendance was, perhaps, not greater than 

 seventy-five. The weather preceding the time of meeting had delayed 

 -the maturing of the melon crop somewhat, so that the melon growers 

 were very busy marketing their crop at the time of the meeting. This. 

 doubtless, considerably reduced the attendance. 



The character of the meeting, Avhich was a most interesting and profit- 

 able one, will appear from the outline program given below: 



(469) 



