No. 4.] KEPORT OF SECRETARY. xv 



exhibits, which are enjoyed by their discriminating patrons ; 

 and it is from the standpoint of business, and not in a spirit 

 of criticism, that I ofler these suggestions. 



Farmers' Institutes. 



The institute work has been very successful and satisfac- 

 tory during the year. Practically the same number of meet- 

 ings have been held as in 1905, with a slight increase in 

 attendance. Three circuits of institutes were held, with 

 Prof. John Craig of Cornell University, Prof. Chas. D. 

 Woods of the Maine Agricultural Experiment Station, and 

 Dr. Geo. M. Twitchell, as speakers. These meetings were 

 very satisfactory, as they gave the farmers of Massachusetts 

 an opportunity to hear speakers from a distance, of more 

 than usual reputation in the institute field, and without 

 increased expense to the State. This year we shall repeat 

 the arranging of these circuits, and hope to have Prof. 

 Thomas Shaw of Cornell University, Dr. Geo. M. Twitchell 

 of Maine, and Prof. C. L. Beach and Prof. L. R. Jones of 

 Vermont, as speakers. 



One hundred and twenty-six meetings have been held 

 during the year, with 155 sessions. All the societies repre- 

 sented on the Board have held 3 or more institutes, except 

 the Spencer Farmers' and Mechanics' Association and the 

 Nantucket Agricultural Society, Avhich held but 2 meetings, 

 and the Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture, 

 which is represented on the Board by special act, and holds 

 no institutes. Eight societies held 4 or more meetings. 

 Eighteen other meetings have been held in sections not en- 

 tirely covered by societies represented on the Board, where 

 the demand for institute work appeared to warrant the hold- 

 ing of such meetings. The average attendance for the year 

 has been the largest since records of attendance have been 

 kept, being 127 per session, as against 125 last year, 109 

 for 1904, 102 for 1903, 104 for 1902, 107 for 1901, 91 for 

 1900 and 94 for 1899. The total attendance for the 155 

 sessions was 19,727, also the largest on record. At two of 

 these sessions the attendance was 400 or more ; at 11, from 



