230 A YEAR IN AGRICULTURE 



subordinate chapters or granges well organized and closely 

 bound together. The Grange is a live institution, and its 

 growth is of a permanent character. 



Farmers' Institutes. The Farmers' Institute has been in 

 existence for over half a* century and, like the Grange, has 

 demonstrated its usefulness to country life. The Institute 

 carries on an educational extension work. There are strong 

 state and county organizations and national officers with 

 advisory relationship, but there are no well-organized local 

 community groups, meeting often as regular clubs. Most of 

 the work is done in annual gatherings of agricultural peo- 

 ple, and the organization offers opportunity for intercourse, 

 for agricultural and household science instruction, for form- 

 ing acquaintances, and for promoting a class consciousness. 

 The Farmers' Institutes have popularized agricultural edu- 

 cation, and have had a large part in the new agricultural 

 awakening. 



The American Society of Equity. This is a comparatively 

 new organization. It was incorporated under the laws of 

 Indiana in 1902. It has extended its membership into sev- 

 eral states, and has had much influence in determining the 

 prices of farm products. It has a local, county, state, and 

 national organization. Its objects are set forth as economic, 

 educational, scientific, protective, social, pacific, and pro- 

 motive. The American Society of Equity bids fair to be- 

 come a strong factor in rural life organizations. 



The Farmers ' Union. The Farmers ' Union is an organiza- 

 tion especially strong in the South. The organization was 

 formed in the interests of farm life by Newt Gresham in the 



