STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 195 



sell what they represent than to pay half a mill to stop other 

 people from buying of thase men. 



Mr. J. M. Smith. We have adopted a plan in Wisconsin at 

 our institutes that works very well. We are now holding three 

 farmers' institutes a week in Wisconsin, and occasionally four a 

 week. At each institute we have a large number of volumes of 

 our State Agricultural Society with other reports bound in them, 

 and we distribute them at thase institutes. The plan now is to 

 have large numbers of them printed the coming year, and per- 

 haps an additional volume with the cream of the institutes, to 

 distribute, so that in a year or so our farmers will be educated 

 and there will not be such good picking for this class of men. 

 The farmers in our State are being waked up as they never were 

 before, and we hope to keep the interest growing; these reports 

 are being called for in every direction. If our sister states will 

 take hold of this work, and the horticulturists and agricultur- 

 ists will work together, they will find it to their mutual benefit. 

 Our farmers are coming forward and showing an interest never 

 before known in the history of the state. 



President Elliot. What is the number of those reports 

 printed? 



Mr. J. M. Smith. I think there is altogether some 25,000 and 

 we shall probably have the number increased. 



Prof. Porter was very glad Mr. Smith had mentioned this 

 subject; we had been trying to profit by their good example. 

 A year ago the College of Agriculture by its board of regents un- 

 dertook this institute work at its own expense. They had been 

 doing the work just as fast and as thoroughly as the means at their 

 disposal would permit; they had held thirty-one institutes, be- 

 sides assisting at others. This had been done with $1,000. 

 They had felt the want of this literature spoken of; also, another 

 edition was needed of our Forestry Manual of at least 10,000 vol- 

 umes, with a corresponding number of the Society reports. He 

 was now publishing a report which would contain much valuable 

 matter, but as only 3,000 copit^s wei'e authorized, there would be 

 very few for general distribution. This Society might act as an 

 auxiliary in this institute work. The legislature had been asked 

 to appropriate 87,500 for the institute work. 



Mr. J. M. Smith. You will find $7,500 is not enough. 



Prof. Porter. We have got to go slow; this legislature is one 

 that was elected on principles of economy. If we expend this 

 sum judiciously we will have no more trouble in getting $15,000 



