The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1901-11-20
AGRICULTURAL.
FARMERS INSTITUTES.

The subject of farmers institutes is
both an interesting and important one
not only for farmers but for the pub
lie in general because in the changed
conditions of the past % or 30 years
farm life has largely emerged from
the semi-isolated position which it
formerly occupied and its social and
commercial interests have become
closely identified with the social and
commercial interests of other classes.
No one denies that the great and in
creasing preponderance of agricultural
exports is the leading factor in the
nation 5 prosperity at the present time.
Again the expansion of the farming
industry and its wonderful evolution
from hand labor to machinery in till
ing the soil and harvesting the crops
furnishes a home market for an enor-
nous amount of machinery and farm
appliances that are used on the farm
and in connection with modern farm
ing.
Hence it is that as the country S
prosperity is so largely dependent upon
the agricultural interests all classes
are interested in the farmers wei
fare, not from sentiment only, but
largely from selfish motives. The
late and much lamented President Nc
Kinley had the interests of all the
people at heart and he could readily
see that it was the part of sound wis
dom and good craftsmanship to encour-
age the foundation industry of the ma
tion, which he did to marked de-
gree. His last public utterance was
in favor of wider markets for Ameri-
can products, and such a government
al policy as would tend to better
equalization of the commercial condi-
tions between different classes in this
country.
Along with the changed conditions
in farming relations must come q
changed thought among farmers them
selves. Old ways and rut- bound
ideas must give way to modern meth
DDS and progressive thought. This,
i'll short, is education.
The grange stands first and foremost
in the grand work which has been,
and is now being accomplished in this
direction, and second to it is the
farmers institute, which is a child of
the grange.
President Smith of the Michigan
agricultural college brought out an
important point when he said that !:
"There must be means of communi-
eating fresh knowledge ON fresh top
les to those who must deal with the
ever changing problems. - Again he
said, "More system is needed, less
fragmentary discussion, and the
reaching of these most needing to be
taught Supt. Gregg of Minnesota
said that the ideal institute speaker
is a farmer, man of wide knowl-
edge, enthusiastic and apt to teach
But these are not easily found and we
must be content with the practical
and enthusiastic man. He did not
think that the average college pro-
fessor or station man was fitted for
institute work, except in answering
questions, In Michigan no farmer is
employed as institute speaker until
his farm has been visited by the SUI
perintendent.
This is not bad practice to follow
in some other states.
Superintendent Converse of the Pan
American exposition said that men
should be trained for the work. but
they should live on the farm, and
farming should be their main bust
ness. Superintendent Dawley of New
York said that his institute speakers
were first required to go to Cornell
and Geneva stations to get in touch
with the latest experimental work,
and if of value give it to the farmers
in their talks. One speaker said that
institute talk should be off hand and
occasionally an essay might be used
but not often. Superintendent Cree
Ian of Canada said that in his coun-
try the institute had absorbed the
grange and farmers clubs and thought
that the institutes were about all that
the farmers needed in the line of or
CARNATIONS.
This brought out strong defence
for the grange by speakers from the
Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania
and other grange states. The speak
ers all claimed that institutes were
productive of more good when held
in sections where the grange organ
ization was strong and in healthy
condition.
Alpha Messer.
81 owe NV yholp life N Rlrdoply BLOOD