692 MISCELLANEOUS FARM SUBJECTS 



a love of the soil, and above all when the boy is successful there is 

 a consciousness of achievement, which is of great value. It is not 

 merely a boys' club for the purpose of having a set of rules or an or- 

 ganization. True, this idea is used, but mainly in an incidental 

 way. This work is not a contest in corn growing, wherein each one 

 who enters is left to prepare, plant, fertilize, and cultivate in his 

 own way. Of course, prizes are offered in the work, but for the 

 purpose of arousing interest and keeping up enthusiasm. The plan 

 is to instruct, to direct, to guide, and to train. The circulars of in- 

 struction sent at different times throughout the year cover the fun- 

 damental principles of good farming^ such as deep fall plowing, the 

 pulverization of the soil, seed selection, suitable spacing, intensive 

 cultivation, the increase of humus, and the economical use of fer- 

 tilizers, the systematic rotation of crops, the use of more horsepower 

 and 'better implements, and the keeping of farm accounts. The 

 effort is made to have each boy receive attention and instruction on 

 his acre or the acre of a neighboring boy. A boy takes pride in 

 ownership and will learn more agriculture and more business on his 

 own acre of corn than elsewhere. (B. P. I. Bui. 41.) 



Institutes for Women. In making the country home a special 

 department in institute organization and effort, through the organ- 

 izing in rural districts of societies composed altogether of women, 

 the paramount importance of woman's work as the home builder 

 is recognized by the State, and systematic effort made to aid her 

 from the public treasury. 



The relation that women sustain to the rural schools as teach- 

 ers of the youth of the country is most important, and furnishes a 

 potent reason why they should have special training for rural-school 

 work. They are by great majority the instructors not only in the 

 rural schools, but in the town and city schools as well, and the fu- 

 ture nation consequently will depend very largely for its efficiency 

 upon the manner in which these teachers perform their work. 



The object of the women's institute is to do for the woman in 

 the home what the institute is endeavoring to do for the man in 

 the field, namely, increase the efficiency of the individual and cause 

 her to take new and more intelligent interest in her occupation. 

 The women's institute, therefore, should endeavor to reach every 

 country home with a school of domestic and sanitary science and 

 household art ; should strive to introduce labor-saving appliances and 

 conveniences into every home ; should endeavor to bring about con- 

 ditions whereby leisure and opportunity for social enjoyment and 

 self-improvement can be secured by every rural family, and where- 

 by good literature, music, and artistic skill may be introduced into 

 and enjoyed in every country home, and the latent talents of coun- 

 try women, intellectual, social, and religious, be developed and 

 employed. 



That this work is coming into appreciation is shown by the 

 fact that 16 States held 444 institutes for women in 1909, or 299 

 more than were held during the previous year. Before, however, 

 they will increase with the rapidity that their importance demands 



