The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1889-06-15
Farmers Institutes.

The Farmers institute is q school
of agriculture in which farmers learn
from each others success and expe-
rience and from paid lecturers who
have made a success of some special
line of farming. They are intended
to educate the farmer in improved
methods and practice of advanced
and successful farming. They have
an animating and encouraging effect
upon the farmers who attend and
take part in the discussions, and the
most thrifty and contented farmers
are found where institutes have been
held for some time.
A number of the States are now
appropriating from five to twelve
thousand dollars annually for the
support of Farmers Institutes.
Men who have made great sucs
cess in some special line of farming
are engaged and paid by the State
to lecture at county and district in
stitutes, where they explain the Sc
cret of their success, and tell what
they have learned from actual prac-
tice and experience. Questions are
then asked by farmers present and
general discussion follows on sub
jccts in which the farmers are most
interested.
Ohio and Wisconsin have been
the most successful in institute
work. Ohio gives $4,000 and holds
so to 100 institutes year. They
are conducted by the State Board of
Agriculture, who provide the speak
ers and arrange circuits for insti-
tutes, the farmers attending to the
local work of getting out the audi
ence and providing halls for meet
ings.
In 1885 Wisconsin appropriated
$4,000 for institutes and in 1887 the
appropriation was increased to $12,-
000 The Board of Regents of the
State University employ superin-
tendent who superintends and con-
ducts the institute in the State
They held 81 institutes last winter,
and at the closing institute held at
Madison there were 6S addresses,
lectures and papers read. 1t took
four. days, including evening SEES
sions, to get through with the work
A report of this institute was pub
lished in bulletin of 767 pages, and
over 10000 copies were distributed
among the farmers Of the State.
Last February Hon. j. C. Spooner
of Wisconsin introduced a bill in the
Senate providing for national sys-
tenn of farmers institutes, and pro
posing to appropriate 100000 for
the purpose. Owing TO the short
ness of the session no action was Ia
ken on the bill, but it is generally
believed that it will in the same
form be introduced again as soon as
congress meets next winter
One of the objects of the farmers
society to be organized ON the first
of June, will be to organize and con-
duct system of farmers institutes,
farmers clubs, &c, in this county,
and assist in extending the system
throughout the state.
If the farmers of this state are to
receive an appropriation from the
national government or from the
State, they should be prepared to
utilize it to the best advantage and
not allow the control of such appro-
priations to go into the hands of
professors, political men and law
yers, who know nothing about prac-
tical farming or the farmers needs.
Therefore, the farmers should meet
together and discuss this as well as
Other subjects of vital Importance to
them. We should prove ourselves
worthy and show that we are capa-
BILE of approaching and utilizing any
amount appropriated for our benefit.
A. d. HOPKINS,
Secretary Wood Co. Farmers So
ciety.