200 



FARMER'S CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK 



the instruction of the adult farmer and 

 his family. They are usually carried on 

 under the auspices of the state. The 

 principal speakers are the professors and 

 workers in the agricultural colleges and 

 experiment stations, and successful 

 farmers who are able to present their 

 methods clearly. The latter, when well 

 versed in the principles of agriculture, 

 make the most effective speakers. 



How farmers" institutes are man- 

 aged — These institutes in each state are 

 usually under the direction of a general 

 state manager, who provides for meet- 

 ings throughout the state, in co-opera- 

 tion with local societies. The state usu- 

 ally furnishes two or three speakers and 

 the local society the remainder. At 

 these institutes, the best and most re- 

 cent information on the handling and 



Iowa. This train stopped at country 

 towns and lectures were given by ex- 

 perts on methods of corn growing and 

 improving the crop by means of se- 

 lected seed. It has been estimated that 

 the corn crop was increased in value 

 $15,000,000 in one year as a result of 

 these special trains. 



Since the corn special, other states 

 have run special trains in which the 

 principal matters discussed were dairy- 

 ing, alfalfa growing, stock raising, etc. 



Farmers'" Institute Specialist — Keal- 

 izing the importance of the farmers' 

 institute movement, the United States 

 Department of Agriculture has recently 

 established an office, known as the 

 Farmers' Institute Specialist. This of- 

 fice is under the direction of the Office 

 of the Experiment Stations. It serves 





L y w»TO 



"*■ 8 



Fig. 144 — STUDENTS SCORING BEEF CATTLE 



(Nebraska Experiment Station) 



care of stock, the value of improved 

 stock, the growing of crops for stock, 

 dairy problems and kindred agricultural 

 subjects are presented in a manner to 

 interest and instruct the farmer. At 

 these meetings the college professor 

 comes directly in contact with the prac- 

 tical side of farming and thus learns the 

 needs of the farmer. When he returns 

 to his classes he is able to discuss prob- 

 lems of living interest. At the same 

 time, the farmer is brought to feel that 

 the professor, though he may not know 

 all the practical details of farming, 

 nevertheless has a knowledge of the fun- 

 damental principles which may be of 

 great value to him. 



Institute train specials — Within 

 recent years a new phase of the farmers' 

 institute has been the running of special 

 trains over the states. Among the first 

 of these was the corn special train in 



as a kind of center of information 

 for farmers' institute speakers, to which 

 they may send for the latest infor- 

 mation on the subjects which they are 

 to discuss. The Institute Specialist 

 also compiles information relative to the 

 work done in all foreign countries, along 

 similar lines, and in addition publishes 

 outlines of syllabi which may be used by 

 institute speakers on special subjects, 

 such as profitable cattle feeding, silage 

 and silo construction, care of milk, etc. 

 Lantern slides and charts, illustrating 

 the syllabi are loaned by the department. 



In 1906, a total of 11,000 farmers' in- 

 stitutes were held in 44 states. The at- 

 tendance at these institutes was 1,600,000 

 persons. 



Such, in general, are the provisions 

 made by the nation and states to promote 

 the - interests of the live stock industry. 

 In addition to these agencies, the live 



