No. 4.] REPORT OF SECRETARY. xxv 



tion will have to be obtained. Our money for institute work 

 is now drawn from the dissemination fund, and with such 

 demands from all sources upon this fund it is impossible to 

 do the work without more money. An increase of $2,800 is 

 asked for this year. 



The institute work of the year was carried on as usual. 

 There were held 144 institutes with 174 sessions, there hav- 

 ing been more two-session institutes than ordinarily. All the 

 societies held three or more meetings except the Eastern 

 Hampden, which held one, and the Hampshire, Hoosac Val- 

 ley, Middlesex South and Quannapowitt societies, which held 

 two each. Eight societies held four or more meetings, and 38 

 institutes were held by organizations other than the societies 

 represented on the Board. The aggregate attendance for the 

 year was 20,017 persons, or 115 per session, as against 118 

 last year, 126 in 1911, 110 in 1910, 137 in 1909, 111 in 

 1908, 118 in 1907, 127 in 1906, 125 in 1905, and figures 

 ranging from 94 in 1899 to 109 in 1904 for previous years. 



The addition of a subject list to the published list of 

 speakers seems to have been of considerable assistance to 

 those in charge of institute work. 



Boys' and Gikls' Agricultural Work. 



The $200 granted two years ago to each agricultural so- 

 ciety in the State had an immediate effect in stimulating 

 agricultural societies among the boys and girls of the State. 

 In sections where there was active co-operation on the part 

 of the school people with the fair officials the exhibits have 

 been large and excellent in quality. 



The $1,000 appropriated last year for State work has been 

 used in promoting a more definite type of home projects in 

 potato, corn and market-garden work, also encouraging the 

 cultivation of small back-yard gardens by those who did not 

 have larger areas. 



Cups were offered to cities and towns in which the boys 

 and girls did the best agricultural work. Brockton won first 

 prize, and Worcester second, in the city contest ; Hadley won 

 first, and Groton and Methuen tied for second place in the 

 town contest. Cash premiums were offered the schools doing 



