VOL. XXIX.
	
INDIANAPOLIS, IND., DEC. 1, 1894.
NO. 48.
THE FARMERS' WINTER CAMPAIGN.
Results of Farmers' Institutes.
THB  BBNBFITS AS RBPOBTBD BY WORKERS
AND FRIENDS.
Within the past decade Farmers' Institutes have been conducted systematically
in several States under State control with
State aid therefor. State appropriations
for thia purpose have ranged from a few
hundred to |15 000 per annum. Indiana
annually expends 95,000 upon Farmers'
Institutes, Wisconsin f 12 0*00, New York
and Ohio about $15,000. It appears, therefore, that in some of the States, at least,
very liberal appropriations have been made
for Farmers' Institutes. Is such an ex -
pendit are a wise one? Do the results that
have been, or are being, reached justify
the expenditure?
INSTITOTES   BENEFICIAL.    IN    MANY    WAYS.
Farmers' Institutes exert their beneficial
influence in many ways. So far as the«e
Institutes have led to Improvement in
methnds,improvement In the quantity and
quality of farm products, and consequently
in appreciation in values of land, the results are tangible and measurable by standards tbat all can appreciate. It must be
said, however, at the very outset, that
many of the results of Institute work are
either intangible or only beginning to
crystal-*** ln form to be apprec'ated by the
people in general. To the close stndent
and observer these results are not less val-
uaole because less tangible. Indeed, it can
be truly said that some of the most beneficial resnl's of the work are not to be
measured by the dollars and cents standard, but show rather in the charged atti
turle of many farmers towards education
and science, in a higher estimate of the
importance and dignity of agriculture and
in a better appreciation of the privileges
and possibilities of farm life.
It is yet too early to measure adequately
the benefits of Institute work. If no
further appropriations for this good work
were made the forces that have been set in
motion through this agency would produce increasing good with the flight of
years, because there are hundreds and
thousands of farmers whose eyes have been
opened to the causes of failure and the
oondltiona of success, who* e hopes and
ambitions have been aroused and whose
methods have been improved by Institute
work, that will go on sharing and diflusing
the benefits of the work throughout their
Uvea.
Without attempting to enumerate the
good results of Farmers' Institutes, the
writer will merely attempt to set forth
certain results which are generally ao
kno wledged to be the legitimate outgrowth
of the Institute work.
INCREASED INTELLIGENCE.
The Farmers' Institute is primarily an
educator—a bureau of information on subjects of every-day praotical value to farmers. It is a kind of university extension
applied to agriculture. Professor W. A.
Henry, of Wisconsin, says, with reference
to the Institute work in that State, "It
gathers together all the great agricultural
forces of the State into harmony aud carries more information and distributes it
better than waa ever before possible." Mr.
J. Van Matre, of Wisconsin, says, "Farmers' Institutes afford us a maximum
amount of knowledge at a minimum
cost." The information that has been dif
fused everywhere throughout this and adjoining States through the melium of
Farmers' Institutes has been of the most
intensely practical character. Men who
have demonstrated their ability to instruct
by the successes achieved on their own
farms have set forth in clear and foroible
manner at the Institutes the methods they
have employed and the secrets of their
success.
years farmers are making more progress in
President Smart has said that in recent
general intelligence and improvements in
methods, as the result of Increased Intelligence, than any other class of people, and
he believes that the Institute work has been
very largely instrumental in the attain
ment of this desirable end.
METHODS IMPROVED
As a natural result of increased intelligence, improvement ln methods follows.
One of the most striking results of the Institute work is seen in thelmproved methods of handling oorn fodder in this State.
It is true tbat a very large per cent, is
practically allowed to go to waste by stand
ing in the field as in "ye olden times," but
as a result of the Institute work the area
of corn f odder that has been harvested and
properly cured for winter feeding has been
greatly increased sinoe the ad vent of Farm
era' Institutes. The following quotation
from ex Governor Hoard, of Wisconsin, is
right in point here. Speaking in 1SS8 he
sal0, "To the very best of my knowledge
we planted in Wisconsin last spring, 50 000
acres more fodder corn than we did the
year before. What led to that result?
The agitation that we had had for two
years upon this question in Institutes
What was it worth? Two hundred thous
and tons of food added to the supporting
power of this State for its live stock.whlob
I suppose is worth at least 91,000,000
and yet there are farmers in this
State holding a cent so clcse to their eyes
that they could si-ear conscientiously,
'■There is no moon beyond it." They wll
say that the little appropriation of f 12,000
to carry on this work of enlightenment and
stimulus toward the development of the
material interests of our State, is being
wasted and thrown away. Never before
In my life have I felt the magnificence o-
this commonwealth roll in upon me, and
the character of it, and the pride of it, as I
have in the past three years. I beUeve today, my friends, that Wisconsin's future
is 100 fold better for these influences than
it ever has been before.
For fear that 1 may make it too low I
shall not venture to estimate In dollars and
oents the benefits to Indiana of improved
methods inaugurated by Farmers' Institutes. A large majority of the intelligent,
progressive farmers of Indiana will agree
with me, however, that if Wisconsin can
be so benefitted by Farmers' Institutes.our
own fair State, than which there is no better in the Union, may be likewise benefitted.
STJCCreS ENHANCED.
Producers of improved breeds of live
stock and improved seeds and fruits, with
in and also without the State, have felt
the impetus of the movement for better
things on the farm and about the home,
which is a most striking outcome of the
institute work. The benefits have not,
however, been limited to individuals
Whole communities have realized the
benefits of intelligent, concerted effort in
the growing and marketing of their pro
ducts. The fear expressed by many timid
farmers that the growing extensively of
any crop by a whole neighborhood would
ruin tbe market has proven to be a mere
Will o' the wisp, as the increased amount
and improved quality of the product has
either brought purchasers to the very door
or * ecured quicker and cheaper transportation to the more distant markets,
A striking illustration of increased success resulting from a Farmer's Institute
was related to tbe wri'erby Mr. W. H.
Morrison, late superintendent of Institutes
in WiBOonsin. He stated that in a certain locality in W sconsiu a merchant wtio
lost money annually on the poor butter
that he was compelled to buy from his patrons requested that a dairy institute be
held in his home town. The request was
complied with and as a result the follow
ing year the same farmers, who had been
previously dumping their butter on their
local merchant at a loss to all concerned,
were then shipping their butter to the
large cities and netting the best prioes.
AMBITION ABOU8ED,
The sound and wholesome doctrine of
self help which has been persistently emphasized from the first in Institute work
is bearing fruit in the aroused ambition of
thousands of farmers who have oome to
realize that, ln the language of Shake
speare, "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in
our stars, but in ourselves, that we are
underlings."
The inspiring example and practical instruction of such persons as T. B Terry,
J. A. Mount, Mrs. Virginia C. Meredith
and scores of others that might be named
are leading multitudes of their fellow-
farmers to a higher plane of eflort and
achievement. In the first two or three
years of the Institute work in this State
croaking was not an uncommon feature
at institutes, and in a few instances the
key note was a croak. Happily that has
passed and it is a rare exception to find a
croaker at a Farmer's Institute. The
farmers are coming to understand more
and more that, "The gods help those who
help themselves." They are beginning to
understand tbat the heaviest tax to which
they can be subjected Is that imposed by
ignorance, slip shod methods and despondent waiting for better times, and they
are resolutely and successfully demon
strating that intelligence, improved methods and strict attention to business will
pay on the farm as elsewhere. This feat
ure alone of the institute work has been
well worth its entire cost to the State.
PUBLIC SPIRIT AWAKENED.
From the very outset, our towns and
the business and professional men have
shown a great interest in the institute
work and have contributed very largely to
its success. The meager appropriation for
Farmers' Institutes furnished both the occasion and reason for extending a helping
hand, which they were not slow to do.
This feeling was not shared by the farmers to a very great extent at first, although
there were several striking exceptions,
two of which, only will be mentioned here.
Daring the first two years Mr. Mount and
Mrs. Meredith, two of our most honored
Institute workers, each donated several
months of time to the institute work, in
order that It might be successfully inaugurated Now in many, if not most localities of the State the farmers are coming to
feel a commendable pride in the work and
the county associations are vying with each
other in their efforts to hold the largest and
most succesful institute. At first it was
very difficult to get many farmers to take a
place on the program. Now there is no
difficulty in securing an ample corps of
home workers whose carefully prepared
papers bear the stamp of study, observation and substantial success on the part of
the writers. Although slower to rally to
the help of the institute work than the
men of the cities and villages, the farmers
are now, in many localities, taking the
lead in pushing the work actively forward.
AGRICULTURE DION'FIBD
The expression, "Only a farmer," which
in the past frequently greeted one's ears is
now seldom heard. Farmers are coming
to realize and appreciate the true dignity
and worth of their calling. They are rapidly learning that with intelligent study,
observation and reading the farmer may
be the peer of his fellow-men in other
pursuits. Agriculture is coming more
and more to be esteemed at its true worth,
as it was in ancient times. The influence
of this changed attitude is momentous and
its effect upon the rising generation can
not be over-estimated. As a natural and
inevitable result a larger per cent of the*
I bright, ambitious farmers' sons will en
gage ln agriculture. Thanks to the institute", they are Laming that brains and
study are of value on the farm and tbat
engaging in agriculture will neither debar
them from success, intelligent society nor
plltical preferment. The farmer's home
is also coining in for a share of the benefits
of the institute work as is plainly seen in
the increased number of papers, periodicals and books taken and read, and In the
formation of family farmers' clubs, and
reading and literary circles.
THE STATE HONORED.
Farmers' Institutes are doing much, if
not more, than any other single agency to
elevate Tndiana to her rightful position in
the sisterhood of States, The time was
when the term "Hoosier" was one of reproach. That time is fast passing away
never to return. The prominent institute
workers have been indefatigable in their
efforts to awaken our people to a just appreciation of the magnificent resources,
favorable geographical location and great
possibilities of our State. Farmers' Institutes are hastening the day when the material resources of the State will be duly
appreciated and fully developed, and
the time is not far distant when Indiana
will forge her way to the front. Already
the thorough Institute work which has
been performed in this State during the
oast five years is receiving the attention of
prominent officials in other States. Enquiries relative to the institute work hate
come to the writer from Pennsylvania,
Kentucky, Tennessee, Michigan, South
Dakota, Illinois, Kansas and Missouri.
GREATER RESULTS TO FOLLOW.
We are yet, as it were, only on the threshold in the institute work. The more intelligent and public-spirited farmors and
other cltzens of the State have been
reached and aroused to action. While
there are thousands of farmers who have
been aroused from lethargy and well
started on the sure road to success by
Farmers' Institutes, there are thousands
of others who have not yet been reached.
A little leaven has been hidden in the
lump, but the lump is not all leavened,
although the leavening process is going
on. The success already achieved will not
permit the friends of the institute work to
-'rest on their oars." It should rather encourage them to redouble their efforts in
behalf of the agricultural development of
our State and the elevation of the farming
classes. Let all who have felt the kindling touch of Farmers' Institutes beoome
agricultural missionaries and in turn
strive to impart to their fellows the benefits which they have received. With a
solid front and with concerted and persistent effort, let us strive to push forward
the car of progress with increasing momentum as the years pass.
Every oounty in the State has, through
its local organization, endorsed the institute work. A majority of the oounties
have favored an increased appr priation
for the work. It is believed by the writer
that we have reached a stage in the development of the institute work when a
larger appropriation can be wisely expended and be productive of great good to
the material and other interests of the
State. He believes, further, that it is
necessary to take an advanced step or retrogression will result. If the friends of
Farmers' Institutes desire them to grow
in usefulness they should endeavor to se-
oure proper recognition of the cause by the
general assembly, so that Indiana may
compare favorably in this work with New
York, Ohio and Wisconsin.
W. C Latta.
Purdue University, LaFayette.
—We Intend to arrange for reports of the
institutes he'.d throughout the State during the winter, which we think will form
a highly attractive and valuable feature of
our paper.