Part I.] REPORT OF SECRETARY. 45 



exhibit for the first time, and appropriated money for premiums; 

 and a number of other fairs showed increased interest by 

 additional appropriations. 



There have been 230 paid and 240 unpaid local leaders con- 

 nected with the work during the past season; and the $2,000 

 distributed in prizes by the State Board has helped materially 

 in arousing new interest and retaining the old. 



Farmers' Institutes. 



The institute work for 1917 was conducted along the usual 

 lines, with good results. 



Two of the societies held four institutes each; 9 held three; 

 4, two; 9, one each, and 8 did not hold any. In addition, 19 

 outside organizations held institutes to which the Board 

 furnished speakers. The aggregate attendance for the year was 

 11,450, or an average of 98 per session. 



The list of lecturers, with subject index as revised and ap- 

 proved by the committee on institutes and public meetings, 

 contains the names of four new speakers, one each on bee- 

 keeping, birds, poultry and the Federal Land Bank. Five 

 names were discontinued, four on the recommendation of the 

 committee, and one at the suggestion of the speaker. 



Your secretary attended the annual meeting of the American 

 Association of Farmers' Institute Workers, at Washington, 

 November 12 to 14, and, as a member of the Standing Com- 

 mittee on Co-operation, with other educational agencies pre- 

 sented the report of that committee, and also made a brief 

 statement on the institute work of Massachusetts for the past 

 season. 



Our appropriation of $8,500 for "Dissemination" proved in- 

 sufficient this year to take care of the increased demand for 

 institute speakers, and it was necessary to refuse many re- 

 quests. I have therefore estimated an additional $1,000 for 

 disseminating useful information, $700 of w^hich will be used to 

 meet the call for institute speakers, and $300 to permit of the 

 intermittent emploj^ment of a market agent to conduct market 

 investigations in the State. 



