No. 4.] 



FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 



263 



Your committee has held two meetings for the considera- 

 tion and preparation of the list of speakers for the year, and 

 has given the matter careful consideration, endeavoring to 

 cut out all dead wood from the list, and to eliminate any sub- 

 jects not strictly in the line of agriculture. We believe the 

 result is a better and more consistent list of speakers and 

 subjects than has heretofore been put forth. 



We would call attention to the weak spots in the work, 

 as well as the strong ones. We believe that the small attend- 

 ance at the meetings of a few of these societies should be 

 corrected, for their own good and the good of the Board. 

 Your committee, the secretary of the Board and his office 

 force have used every effort to bring about improvement, and 

 it is but just to them to say that an improvement is to be 

 noted during the past year. 



During the year 1902, 120 farmers' institutes were held 

 under the direction and control of this Board. All of the 

 societies represented on the Board, with the exception of 

 the Massachusetts Societj^ for Promoting Agriculture, held 

 the 3 institutes required. There have also been institutes 

 held in sections of the State where there are no ao-ricultural 

 societies having membership on this Board, and where there 

 seemed an imperative call for such meetings. 



The average attendance of the institutes has been very 

 good, being 104, against 107 last year, 91 in 1900 and 94 

 in 1899. At 3 of the institutes the attendance was 300 or 

 over; at 12, from 200 to 300; at 37, from 100 to 200 ; at 

 39, from 50 to 100 ; and at 25, less than 50. There are a 

 few societies which still need to improve their work in this 

 line, in spite of the constant efforts of this office. 



The attendance at each institute held by the several 

 societies in 1902 was as follows : — 



Amesburj and Salisbury, 85, 41, 75. 

 Barnstable County, 140, 55, 155. 

 Blackstone Valley, 75, 25, 50, 125. 

 Bristol County, 225, 200, 200. 

 Deerfield Valley, 65, 75, 100, 150, 

 Eastern Hampden, 100, 12, 50. 

 Essex, 72, 80, 75. 

 Franklin County, 16, 45, 35. 



Hampshire, 250, 40, 30. 

 Hampshire, Franklin and Hamp- 

 den, 105, 150, 125. 

 Highland, 100, 100, 50. 

 Hingham, 20, 100, 392, 74, 137. 

 Hillside, 70, 50, 150. 

 Hoosac Valley, 25, 20, 30. 

 Housatonic, 150, 20, 45. 



