The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-23
WINTERS SESSIONS OF FARMERS
INSTITUTES WE'RE OF GREAT
IMPORTANCE.
REVIEW OF THE WORK DONE.
COOKING SCHOOL OF PRACTICAL
HELP TO THE WOMEN OF RURAL
DISTRICTS.
ATTENTION TO SHEEP GROWING.
Work of the Experimental Station
Thoroughly EXpIafned-Insti-
tute Annual.

The winter circuit of the State Far
mer's institute began in December Of
last year. and ended with the sheep
rally at Carver on the 18th inst. In
the Judgment of the members of the
corps who have been engaged in the
work for several years, it has been
the most successful circuit ever made
by the institute. The correctness of
this judgment will be apparent from
whichever standpoint the work is
viewed.
Great as has been the attendance in
other years, it has been greater on the
average during the past winter than
ever before At the thirty-five institu-
ties held, the average attendance was
more than 400, and the average at the
cooking school more than $50. This
makes a total average of more than
$50 persons who came to each institute,
and when we take into account the
fact that the persons who attend the
second day are of necessity not the
same as those who attend the first
day, the individuals who were in at
tendance at the various SeSSIOIS VI
each institute could not have been
less than 600 to ZOO Much of the credit
of this large attendance is due to the
faithful advance work done by DR.. ].
c. Curryer, the assistant Superinten
dent
Great as has been the interest manifested
in other years on the part of the people who
attended the meetings, in some respects 1t
would be correct TO say that this year 1t
was greater. While the attention to the dis
cussiOn of he questions of swine growing and
dairying and poultry were not less than in
former years, that given to the subjects of
growing beef and mutton and to the subject
of horticulture in all its lines was much
greater than ever before and the changing
character of the questions coming from the
audience was distinctly noticeable. They bore
chiefly to matters pertaining to live STOCK,
and to matters pertaining to a higher tiuage,
as, for instance. the conservation Of soil mois-
ture. In other words, they evidenced the
gradual advance that is being made in our
methods of husbandry all along the line.
Those indications are of most suspicious omen.
They mean that better methods are being
adopted, and the adoption of better methods
means better crops, increased returns, more
prosperous farmers, and a more wealthy state.
Never before was much interest manifest
ed in the lectures and the accompanying prac
teal demonstrations at the cooking school.
Miss Thomson, who had the school in charge,
is doing magnificent work. We say much
OF the greatness of the need of more inStruc-
ton in all the lines of practical farming,
need great as it is. dwarfs in the presence
of the greater need among the women of our
country who are hindering highest develop
ment because of defective methods of cook
ing the food used in their respective house
holds. If such teaching could be made to
reach every home in the land the trade of the
dealers in quack medicines would pale before
the lessened demand for these. 1t graft
flying to notice the numbers that came to
those meetings she first day of the institute,
but II was more gratifying to see the greater
numbers that came the second day. And
many of the mothers who came the second
DAY were accompanied by their daughters,
who hold in their young hands the measure
Of the character of the homes of the future
near at hand.
The evening meetings were also a much
more distinctive feature of the work than
ever before. The new departure in the mode
OF conducting them proved decided sue
cess. PRIOR to this year the addresses given
at those meetings came a1most entirely from
the members of the institute corps. That was
all right for those who attended them from
the country, but it did not exactly meet the
needs of those who came from the town. In
the various evening meetings held the past
season. short addresses from prominent citi-
zens were given, in addition to those from
the institute CORPS. Music, generally the best
vas also furnished gratitiously from the neigh
bOrhOod AT several of those meetings the
crowds who came could not be accommodated
and those who gained admittance felt that
the meeting was theirs, whether they came
from town or country. While there was thus
a happy co-minging Of varied entertainment,
Superintendent Gregg was most careful to
keep firm grip on the control of those meet
lngs lest some elements should creep into
them not quite in cOnsonance with the gospel
Of agricultural progress which the institute
carries in both hands
The institute did yeoman service In what
may be termed advance work for the uni
versity farm school. On nearly every platform
the claims Of this school were presented and
In way that failed to arrest the at
tentiOn of the farmers, and more especiaIlv
of the young men from the farms. The lat
ter come to the speaker at the close of the
session TO gather further details. Judging by
the numbers who in those interviews declare
their intention to come OF the school next
year It's capacity will be more than over
taxed. May those young men be cared for
1t would be simply calamitous if any one of
them were sent home again who knocked at
the door OF the school of agriculture with
out being permitted to enter because of want
of room.
The institute also brings the work of the
experiment station in closer touch with the
farmers, and it brings the farmers in closer
touch with the work of the experiment sta
uon. The demonstrations OF experimental
work are being repeatedly referred to in one
line or the other. And those references are
gwen as authoritative when presented: that
Is to say, the farmers are given to understood
that those who quote the results of those
demonstrations rega'd them as conclusive And
Nhen they are not so regarded, care is taken
TO say SO. In this manner the correct char
ecteT # the work is being more and more I'M
derstood by the farmers. 1t is shown to them
now II is that experiments in the abstract
cannot be made to pay their wav. from tbe
very nature of the experimentation But the
findings of experimentation when the eyperi-
ments are judiciOusly conducted can be made
10 render immense service to the farmer
whether they point to failure or success. In
the hrst instance they show the farmer what
70 avoid and in the second instance they show
him what to do.
But no feature Of the institute work will
probably compare in value with the distribu
uon OF institute ANNALS that takes place AT
every opening session of each institute Those
ANNALS, as has been repeatedly stated before
are carefully prepared by individuals each If
whom is an expert in his line. They hear
directly upon the agricultural conditions of
Minnesota, and they are prepared expressly
TO meet its needs. Good judges inside and
outside of the state have pronounced this
annual in its more recent issues as incom-
parably ahead of anything in its line thai is
brought out by any of the other states The
remand for this annual has come to be moth
ing short of a thirst on the part of the farm
ers. Mr.. Gregg's mail is loaded down iron,
cay to day with applications for these books
And all such applications receive PROMPT at
tenton at no other cost than the nostage
necessary to carry the same to the apnlicant
In view Of what this book contains. If is nj
most unfortunate that every farmer canno-
have copy.
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