THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW. 



320 



Farmers' Institutes and Their Relation to 



Apiculture. 



E. T. ABBOTT. 



TNSTITUTES have already become iu some 

 1 States a p oinineut factoi- in the proaio- 

 tion of a certain kind of knowledge, and 

 they will grow in number, and increase in 

 influence all over the country as the general 

 public becomes better acquainted with the 

 manner in which they are conducted, and 

 the great good they may accomplish. Mis- 

 souri held forty institutes this year, and I 

 am informed that Illinois has made an ap- 

 propriation of !|!50 for each institute and is to 

 hold one in each county in the State. Other 

 States are sure to follow in the footstei)s of 

 those already holding such meetings, just as 

 soon as they realize how much benefit they 

 are to the general public. In fact, a large 

 number of the States are now holding such 

 institutes every year. 



There can be no question but what these 

 institutes offer an excellent opportunity for 

 the promulgation of a general knowledge of 

 apiculture. From my standpoint there is no 

 better opportunity than they offer for reach- 

 ing the people of the small towns and rural 

 districts. I may remark in passing that I 

 am not a very strong advocxte of bee-keep- 

 ing as an independent industry, especially 

 in some localities. Take a State like Mis- 

 souri for an example, and I am inclined to 

 think that the future of apiculture rests with 

 the farmers and the fruit growers. In other 

 words, I am confident that the sooner this 

 industry is recognized as a legitimate branch 

 of agriculture the better it will -'e. If one 

 takes this view of bee-keeping, then surely 

 there is no better place to talk bees and ad- 

 vanced apiculture than among the farmers. 

 Institutes, however, are not made up entirely 

 of farmers, as the towns and small villages 

 are generally well represented, especially at 

 the evening meetings. Here, then, is an ex- 

 cellent opportunity for ttie man who believes 

 in bee-keeping as a specialty to so educate 

 the people with regard to the nature and val- 

 ue of honey as a food as to largely increase 

 its consumption. 



Perhaps it may be well before I go any 

 further to explain the nature of institutes 

 and how they are conducted, as all of your 

 rea lers may not understand this fully. I 

 will assume that they are conducted in the 

 same way and along similar lines in all of 



the States, and take Missouri for my exam- 

 ple, as I am better acquainted with the 

 method of procedure in this State thSn I 

 am with any other. 



These institutes are held under the auspices 

 of the State Board of Agriculture. This 

 Board, in our State, is made up of one mem- 

 ber from each Congressional district, ap- 

 pointed by tiie Governor for a term of three 

 years. The Governor, the Supermtendent 

 of Public Schools, and the Dean of the Agri- 

 cultural College are ex-officio members. 

 The Board appoints a Secretary who, under 

 its direction, conducts most of the business 

 of the Board, and has all to say about hold- 

 ing institutes, and the speakers to be em- 

 ployed. Each fall the secretary gives notice 

 through the agricultural press that a certain 

 number of institutes will be held in the 

 State. From the applications he receives he 

 selects such places as are the most accessi- 

 ble by public conveyance, and can be reach- 

 ed without too much loss of time by the 

 speakers, and arranges for institutes in these 

 localities, announcing the dates in advance. 

 All expenses are paid by the State except 

 that the local community is expected to fur- 

 nish the hall in whicli the meetings are held. 

 Sometimes they go to the further expense of 

 furnishing music, and in some communities 

 they offer quite liberal premiums on house- 

 hold and farm products. The State fur- 

 nishes at its own expense speakers who are 

 to open the discussions in their particular 

 lines, and then a general discussion of the 

 subject follows. Of course, the speaker is 

 supposed to understand thoroughly the 

 branch of agriculture wliich he represents, 

 and the audience is permitted to ask as many 

 questions as it desires, he being expected to 

 answer them. This part of the meeting is 

 very helpful and sometimes very interest- 

 ing ; and, I may remark, would satisfy the 

 most cranky crank on the question-box. 



Now, surely, no one will fail to see that 

 here is the bee-keeper's opportunity to sow 

 good seed, if the right man can be secured 

 to represent the industry at these institutes. 

 How, then, are we to secure a hearing ? 

 First, it may be brought about in this way : 

 Let bee-keepers in each community see their 

 local member of the Board of Agriculture 

 and show up to him the importance of the 

 industry, and thus a friendly feeling may be 

 created for apiculture among the members, 

 which may prove an entering wedge toward 

 the securing of some good man to represent 



