National and Educational Interests. 



137 



changes with the subjects receiving the attention of fruit-growers at different 

 seasons of the year." 



Farmers' institutes. Another movement, which, in one way 

 or another, derives its support from government, is the farm- 

 ers' institute. This enterprise, which has exerted an incal- 

 culable influence upon the farmer's work and life, is now 

 widespread, and in the older states it may be said to be at 

 the height of its power. The centralized movement in the instiSftes. 

 various states will no doubt subside after a few years, but its 

 impetus, instead of being lost, will have been absorbed into 

 every community in the state, where it will ever remain an in- 

 spiration to better methods and higher life. The institute 

 is inseparably connected with the great educational move- 

 ment of the time, which expresses itself in liberal methods, 

 in technical societies, and in university extension. 



The history of the origin of the farmers' institute is ob- 

 scure, but it is certain that the movement began earlier than 

 we have been led to suppose. It began to assume definite 

 shape early in the seventies, when several states undertook 

 to hold farmers' meetings upon essentially the same plan 

 as they proceed at present. As early as 1869 and ' 70, such 

 meetings were held in Iowa by Welch, Roberts, Bessey, Jones, 

 Matthews and Mrs. Tupper, the expenses being met by the 

 community in which the institute was held. In 1871 an ac- 

 count of ' ' Farmers' Institutes ' ' was published in the Report of 

 the Board of Trustees of the Iowa Agricultural College,* in 

 which it is said that " the experiment of holding farmers' in- 

 stitutes in different localities in the state, for the purpose of History of 

 giving familiar lectures on prominent topics in agriculture, instItutes - 

 was tried last winter with very gratifying success. Institutes 

 lasting three days were held at Cedar Falls, Council Bluffs, 

 Washington and Muscatine, at each of which points we found 

 an enthusiastic gathering of farmers." Vermont, Michigan, f 

 and some other states inaugurated institutes about this time. 



The origin of the itinerant lecture system for the instruction 

 of farmers is to be sought long before this time, however. As 

 early as 1842 or '3 such lectures were inaugurated by the New 

 York State Agricultural Society, and these were so successful 



*Country Gent. 1887, 873. 



fFor a history of Michigan institutes, see Rep. Mich. Bd. Agric. 1875, 72. 

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