246 YEARBOOK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



dred. There is probably no farmer in the country who will not 

 find some of these Farmers' Bulletins highly valuable. Complete 

 lists of all the publications of the Department of Agriculture may be 

 obtained for the asking, and from these lists such publications as are 

 desired may be selected. 



FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 



In practically every State farmers' institutes are conducted. These 

 are meetings of farmers at which various agricultural questions are 

 discussed. The speakers are usually practical farmers who have 

 made a distinct success of their work, or trained agriculturists who 

 have a wide knowledge of agricultural conditions in the State. 

 The most experienced farmer finds these institutes of great value. 



MOVABLE SCHOOLS OF AGRICULTURE. 



In some sections of the United States traveling instructors are pro- 

 vided either by the State or by the United States Department of Ag- 

 riculture. This is especially the case in the cotton-growing States 

 arid in dairy communities in the Northern States. Some of the States 

 maintain traveling dairy schools, which go about from place to 

 place giving a short course of practical demonstrations in the han- 

 dling of milk, the manufacture of butter, the use of dairy apparatus 

 and machinery, etc. These demonstrations are usually accompanied 

 by lectures on the feeding and care of dairy cows and other 

 kindred topics. In a good many of the corn-growing States in re- 

 cent years special corn schools have been held during the winter sea- 

 son, when the farmers can best attend them. As the price of farm 

 land rises and the original fertility of the soil is exhausted, schools 

 of this character become more and more necessary. There will un- 

 doubtedly be an extensive development of instruction of this 

 character in the near future. 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



In addition to the sources of information already outlined, 

 farmers can usually secure much valuable information by corre- 

 spondence with the state agricultural colleges and the United States 

 Department of Agriculture. A number of the agricultural colleges 

 maintain correspondence courses in agriculture. There are also 

 some private schools which do the same. Nearly all of the agri- 

 cultural colleges, at some time during the winter season, offer special 

 short courses in practical agriculture. The expense of attending 

 these short courses is nominal, and the information to be gained 

 makes attendance well worth while. Such courses are of more help 

 to the experienced farmer than they are to the beginner, for the 

 reason that the information given can not be assimilated without 

 some farm experience. 



