DEPARTMENTAL WORK. 



FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 



The State Board of Agrieulture has continued its 

 policy of holding under the General Statutes of Kentucky 

 a State Farmers' Institute annually. It has caused to 

 be held county institutes in a majority of the counties of 

 the State each year, but has only held these institutes 

 where there was a demand for same and where co-opera- 

 tion was furnished by the local authorities. The great 

 good done by these institutes is beyond question. They 

 vary in their usefulness in the different counties, but 

 where a county has once held a good institute as a rule 

 it will continue to do so. The entire removal of politics 

 from these meetings has given great confidence in their 

 usefulness to the people and more loyal support has been 

 given by the local authorities. It has been the policy of 

 the State Board of Agriculture to have a lady lecturer 

 at each of these Farmers' Institutes,. and this has added 

 materially in interesting both the men and women in 

 better home life in the rural districts. Where there have 

 been chautauquas held it has been the purpose of this 

 department to co-operate with such authorities as had 

 these meetings in charge. The State Farmers' Institute 

 held at Henderson, Kentucky, in 1915 was one of the 

 greatest agricultural meetings ever held in Kentucky. 

 The records of this office show that the County Farmers' 

 Institute held in one county in this State in the opinion 

 of the farmers of that community has revolutionized the 

 agricultural affairs in that section. With approximately 

 five hundred names from this locality asking that an in- 

 stitute be held there again shows the interest taken in 

 the work at this place. On the other hand, there are coun- 

 ties where it is difficult for the lecturers to get an audi- 

 ence. The good seed sown, however, if only in a few 

 spots, continues to bring forth splendid results. 



