xviii BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



Returns of Societies. 



These returns will be found printed on pages 305-335 of 

 this volume. A summary is printed on page 385, contrast- 

 ing the totals of 1891, 1892 and 1893. 



Farmers' Institutes. 

 The societies held one hundred and thirty-five institutes 

 in 1893. The places, dates and subjects will be found printed 

 in the returns of the societies. A provision of law enables 

 this office to furnish speakers for institutes. During the year 

 1893 this office furnished speakers for eighty-four at an 

 expense of $1,097.17, an average of $13.06. For 1892 the 

 number was seventy-eight, at an expense of $662.39, an 

 average of $8.49. The increased expense was due to the em- 

 ployment of several specialists from outside the State. In 

 December, 1893, a pamphlet was prepared by this office, 

 for the use of officers of societies and institute committees, 

 containing the regulations of the Board of Agriculture con- 

 cerning the holding of farmers' institutes by the several 

 societies, with a list of available speakers and their subjects. 



Abandoned Farms. 



The act authorizing the State Board of Agriculture to col- 

 lect and circulate information relating to abandoned farms 

 was approved May 4, 1891. 



A summary of the work of this office to date shows the 

 following results : Number of abandoned or partially aban- 

 doned forms reported to this office, 998 ; number of owners 

 or agents making reply to our inquiries, 678 ; number of 

 descriptions of property received, 400 ; number of owners 

 or agents not desiring to advertise in catalogue, 9S ; number 

 of owners or agents reporting farm sold in reply to our 

 request for description, 42 ; number of owners or agents re- 

 porting assessors or others to have been misinformed about 

 the property, 76 ; letters returned by post-office department 

 as unclaimed, 64. 



The circulation of the first edition (3,000 copies) of the 

 descriptive catalogue of abandoned or partially abandoned 

 farms began Dec. 5, 1891. Requests for the catalogue came 



