680 MISCELLANEOUS FARM SUBJECTS 



These facts show that there is manifestly need for careful study on 

 the part of many institute directors of the practice ^ in other States 

 with a view to the more economic use of their institute appropria- 

 tions and the better utilization of their institute force. 



The weakest point in the farmers' institute at present is in ita 

 failure to see that its teaching on the platform is put into practice. 

 Valuable information is given at an institute meeting. At its close 

 the whole matter is dropped for a year, possibly never to be again 

 referred to. There is failure to follow up by personal effort what 

 has been recommended and to make sure that the teaching of the 

 institute is not lost and that the money of the State expended at 

 that meeting has not been wasted. 



Giving instruction is only a part of the duty of the institute. 

 Getting information into the practice of the people is the main pur- 

 pose for which the farmers' institute is organized. After the infor- 

 mation has been given the chief work of the institute begins. If 

 the teaching has been the growing of fruit, then in all communities 

 where this has been advised some one should be located to see that 

 at least a few of those who were instructed take up the work and 

 carry it on according to the method proposed. If, as at present, this 

 is left to individual initiative, it may or it may not be done and 

 often, even if undertaken, may fail for lack of proper and timely 

 expert attention and advice. More time and more money should 

 be spent after the lecture in getting it applied than in its prepara- 

 tion and delivery. (A. R. E. S. 1910.) 



Speaking along this line in an address before the members of 

 the Farmers' Institute of the Province of Ontario, Canada, Mr. 

 G. A. Putnam, Superintendent of the Institute, remarked as fol- 

 lows: We have heard it stated for the past twenty years that the 

 Institutes were no good, that they were not doing the work which 

 they should do, that they did not reach the number of farmers that 

 they should reach, that they did not get hold of the farmers who 

 are most in need of the instruction which the Institute was intended 

 to give. That has been the history of Institute work in all coun- 

 tries. We recognize that the Institute is not getting hold of the peo- 

 ple as it should, and we recognize that it never has gotten hold of 

 them as it should, or, to put it in another way, all persons who have 

 been connected with institute work have been discouraged in many 

 cases because they could not induce the people whom they were 

 seeking to benefit to take that personal interest in the work which its 

 importance demands. You will note from our annual report that 

 there is a slight falling off in attendance. Our membership is con- 

 siderably above last year, and I do not think we should be discour- 

 aged after looking at the statistics as a whole ; but I know that some of 

 you are discouraged, and I know that I am discouraged in compar- 

 ing the work in some districts with the work that has been done in 

 former years. We must remember, however, that conditions are 

 somewhat different. In the first place, farmers have much better 

 agricultural journals than they had some years ago, and are well 

 satisfied with that literature, and then they get much literature 



