Farmers' institutes are now regularly held in almost all the States and Territories. In about half the States they are under the control of the agricultural bureaus connected with the State governments, and in the other half they are held under the auspices of the agricultural colleges. It is estimated that at least 2000 institutes are now annually held in the United States, with an aggregate attendance of over 700,000 farmers. The importance of the institutes as factors in the general education of farmers in some of the States where they have been most successful may he indicated by the following brief statistics. In Wisconsin there are now annually held 120 institutes, with an average annual attendance of nearly 50.000 persons. The annual institute Bid Ictia, a of 300 pages containing the best ad of the season, is published, and 60,000 copies distributed. A copy of this book is put into every school library in the State. For this work the State appropriates $12.000 annually. In Minnesota 70 farmers' institutes are held, with an attendance of 22 000. The State makes an annual appropriation of $13.500 for the insti
tutes, and 25.000 copies of their annual report are distributed. In Massnehusetts 125 inst itutes are held. with an attendance of about 11,000; in West Virginia 60 institutes, with an attendance of 4000; in Indiana 100 institutes, with an at. tendance of 25,000; in Kansas 155 institutes, with an attendance of 64.000; in Nebraska 60 in stitutes, with an attendance of 30,000; in Penn sylvania 320 institutes, with an attendance of nearly 150,000; in Ohio 275 institutes, with an attendance of 95,000; in California about 80 insti tutes, with an attendance of 20,000; in New York over 300 institutes, with an attendance of 75.000; in Michigan 200 institutes, with an at tendance of 85,000. The general interests of the institutes are promoted by the American As sociation of Farmers' Institute Workers, and by the Office of Experiment Stations of the United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. The department publishes the proceedings of the association, and in its Year Book gives a list of officials in charge of farmers' institutes in the different States.