The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-03-31
INCREASE NUMBER
Farmers Institutes are
Fulfilling a Great
Mission.

this summer. Resultant from the eff
forts of the department has been per-
Geptible Improvement i'm farming in
many counties. and the demand cre-
ated for institute work, with the sue
cess achieved, has induced it to outlay
a greater expenditure in the work this
year, and a larger number of insti-
tutes will be held.
DR.. TAFT Butler, State veterinarian,
is making preparations for the in
stitutes to be held this summer. and
will awaken greater interest before the
active institute work is commenced.
He will distribute circulars and let
ters explaining the objects and pur-
poses of this peculiar educational in
stitution.
Speaking of this work yesterday,
DR.. Butler said:
1.-The Farmers Institute has become
thoroughly Established in nearly every
State in the Union, as one of the regu-
lar educational institutions supported
by the State.
During the last twenty-five years
there has been a marked improve
ment in agricultural methods, the re-
suit of agricultural Investigations or
experimentation. Since 1889 the Agri-
cultural Experiment Stations have
prepared and published over 5000
bulletions on subjects of interest to
the farmers of this county, but too
many farmers do not read and the
problem is to get new facts on the dis
coveries of agricultural investigation
before the farmers. The farmers IN
stitute is the generally accepted plan
for accomplishing this end.
1t is asked what the Farmers In
stitutes have done for the farmers
The best source from which to obtain
an answer to that question would be
from the farmers themselves, but /
may briefly state some of the benefits
the Farmers Institutes are doing the
farmers basing my opinion on the re-
suit of the work in this State during
the past three years: l. The institutes
lectures and discussions have aroused
in the farmers more interest in and
respect for their business. 1t has so
long been the habit of everybody to
speak lightly of the intelligence of
the farmers that they had themselves
lost respect for the business. An
institute, if it merely showed the vast
fund Of knowledge necessary to the
best farming would be of incalculable
benefit to any farming community,
Much complaint is made of the
brightest boys leaving the farms. This
will continue as long as the fathers
and mothers look upon farming as
not offering sufficient field for the ex-
ercise of the brightest intellects
So The institutes have shown to
many that the cause of failure in
farming is generally lack of knowl-
edge and consequently they have
created a greter respect fora science
and its appreciation to farming.
ctf IN 10 a =
ers of a community in contact with
those who have been successful, there
by giving encouragement as we'll as
"a The Institutes are the best
means of carrying NV facts and pro-
grssive ideas to the flaming classes. No
man can learn at an institute how to
run his farm. but he can and does
obtain facts. which he takes home and
applies IN his farming.
IS. In short what the medical col
lege does for the doctor; what the law
school dos for the lawyer; what the
Agricultural Collge does for the young
farmer and what the public school
does for the masses, is what the
Farmers Institute does for the masses
of the farmers-gives them increased
knowledge of their business.
bCBcNcS III IiICih'
Mr.. E. L. Daughtridge, of Rocky
Mount, one of the most progressive
and successful farmers of Edgecombe'
county, is very enthusiastic over this
work. Mr. Daughtridge said that the
Farmers Institutes had been a source
of great benefit to the farmers of
Edgecombe county, and give much of
the credit for the progress made there
to the institutes and the work OF the
test farm. Mr. Daughtridge said:
"Quite a number of thoroughbred
cattle and hogs have been brought
into the county as a result of the in
stituteS, and there is today much
larger acreage in grain and grasses
than before we had the Test Farm
and the institutes. Stock raising has
been encouraged, and our lands are
in much better state of cultivation
Let the farmers continue to encourage
the institute co-workers. These in
stitutes have increased the value of the
lands in Edgecombe county 20 per
cent
Cooperation Necessary.
The cooperation of every farmer
interested in agricultural progress Will
be solicited in bringing out as large
an attendance as possible at these
institutes.
While workers. the Agricultural De-
partment will be present to assist in
the discussion of questions of interest
to farmers. still It is not possible to
get the most good from such an in
stitute unless the farmers themselves
take an active part in the discus
sions, and fee! FIRE to ask questions
of all those who may speak. The
institutes being for the farmers, it
rests with them to make it of inter-
est and value. If three hundred of
the leading farmers of a county come
together and exchange ideas and COM
pare methods it cannot fail to be of
grea value to them.
GREAT SUMMER RESORT.