Diseases of Animals," and we regret our inability to present it to our readers. He described the first symptoms of the more common and dangerous diseases to which farm animals are liable, and advised the course to be taken by the owner. He showed the fallacy of many common practices in cases of diseased animals, and pointed out the correct course to pursue. The close attention of the audience was held during the entire address of about an hour, and no abstract report we could make would do it justice in the least. The secretary presented the subject of dairying, and by the request of farmers present followed with a half hour's talk upon the Grange and its benefits. Chairman Humphrey followed with general remarks upon the advancement made in agriculture, making specially prominent the fact that farming of to-day, with all the improved implements and methods, required far less muscular labor than when he was actively engaged upon the farm. He urged the young men, with characteristic earnestness, to stick to the farm, for there was to be found the most peaceful, happy, and respected life. This closed the most successful institute of the week.

GRAFTON COUNTY.

RUMNEY.

The first of the series in Grafton county was held at West Rumney, December 6. Mr. J. E. Carr, of Haverhill, member of the Board for Grafton county, presided at this and the following institutes of the week. The afternoon session was devoted to the subject of fertilizers, opening with an address by Prof. G. H. Whitcher, superintendent of the College Farm at Hanover. Professor Whitcher presents the subject in a familiar and practical way, and his address appears in full in this report. The questions and discussion which followed the address evinced the deep interest taken in this subject by the enterprising farmers of Rumney.

There was a larger attendance at the evening session, and a varied program was presented. Chairman Carr read a paper upon "The Use and Care of Farm Implements and Machinery," which appears in the report. Mr. G. S. Philbrick, of Tilton, member of the Board from Belknap county, discussed the question of milk and feed, giving the results of experiments in a way that carried weight with his statements and interested all. He showed how he had reduced the cost of the production of milk by the use of the silo and the added grain. feed necessary to make up a perfect feed. He had found the use of one half pint of cheap "dead sweet" molasses an economical feed in addition. This kind of feeding run his milk, which he sends to Boston, from a standard below what the law requires up to about fourteen per cent of solids.

Mr. Gerrish presented the subject of sheep husbandry, a profitable discussion following. The secretary gave a talk on private dairying, and in the discussion which followed, Mr. W. D. Baker, of Quincy, advanced valuable suggestions. A report of the meeting would not be complete without mention of the interest and efforts of B. A. Hall and A. O. Weeks, of West Rumney, in arranging for and advertising the same.

HAVERHILL.

An institute was held in the town hall, North Haverhill, on the following day, and as might be expected in this enterprising farming town, an excellent institute was held. The afternoon session was devoted to sheep husbandry, by Mr. Gerrish, and farm machinery, by Chairman Carr, closing with a brief address by Mr. Philbrick upon the advancement being made in agriculture.

The evening session was opened by Mr. Philbrick, on specialties in farming. He gave a history of the business as conducted on his father's farm when he was a boy, and spoke of the change in time and methods, saying that competition at the present time made it necessary to figure accurately, in order to reduce production to its lowest possible cost. He gave an extended history of experiments conducted on his farm and urged farmers

to go on with the work themselves and know what they were doing, and not depend upon guesswork in their business. He said, in closing, "There is no such word as failure to him who believes in success.'

Professor Whitcher spoke on creameries and milk. He figured the vastness of the milk product in the United States, and showed the importance of sending the productions of our farms to market in a condensed form; also showing that, theoretically, the farmer sells his farm by piecemeal when selling milk, unless he replaces the fertility by purchased feeds, while he who sells butter, feeding the skim-milk, only slightly reduces the capacity of his soil. Creameries, for the average farmer, had an advantage over private dairying, while there were a few exceptions in those who had special customers. He reviewed the two methods of delivering, the whole-milk and the cream-gathering. At the state farm they were making butter, separating the milk with a hand machine, costing at present about $150. The speaker believed a saving of eight or ten per cent was made directly in butter by the separator, with the advantage also of feeding the milk immediately, warm, without the trouble and labor of carrying to the kitchen for that purpose. He would be willing to run a small creamery in this way for the skim-milk, which, he believed, separated immediately, would pay for the labor. The only stumbling-block in the creamery business was in the testing, which he feared was not reliable as now conducted. He believed nothing short of a chemical analysis was reliable at this time, and prophesied that it would be the method used in the near future, by simplified methods.

The questions and discussion made this an unusually instructive and interesting session, the chairman being at a loss how to close the same at a seasonable hour in the evening.

LITTLETON.

The institute at Littleton was held in the Grange Hall, which was well filled, both at the afternoon and evening sessions. The secretary addressed the meeting in the afternoon, explaining the position and object of the Board in their work. He said they

did not consider themselves infallible teachers when they presented the several subjects assigned, but hoped to stimulate a spirit of inquiry and investigation among the farmers in the several counties as institutes were held during the winter. He referred to the dairy interest and to the increased attention it was receiving by the farmers of the State. While creameries are a decided advantage in almost any town, there are still farmers favorably located and adapted to the business, who will make private dairying more profitable. Mr. F. C. Grant, from the creamery at Hazen's Mills, was the next speaker, upon the subject of creameries, and his address will be found in the report.

At the evening session, Chairman Carr presented the subject of agricultural implements; Mr. Philbrick, milk and feed; Professor Whitcher, fertilizers; and Hon. J. B. Walker of Concord spoke upon the subject of plowing. Mr. Gerrish closed a lengthy report in the "People and Patriot," in regard to the Grafton county institutes, as follows:

"We would say, in this connection, that any doubt of the usefulness of these Board meetings would be removed from the mind of an individual should he follow a three days' meeting such as has been enjoyed in Grafton county this week. Although laboring under some unavoidable difficulties in the evening meeting at Littleton, the speakers worked nobly, and succeeded in entertaining appreciative audiences at each of the towns visited. The weather throughout this series was everything that could be desired, and the meetings exceeded in interest the expectations of your correspondent."

SULLIVAN COUNTY.

NEWPORT.

The series of institutes arranged for Sullivan county was opened at Newport, December 27. At the opening of the afternoon session a good number of the leading farmers of the vicinity.

had assembled, and the opening remarks of Chairman Humphrey complimented the interest manifested in the institute. The chairman spoke upon stock breeding. Among the many good points made, the necessity of breeding only from sound stock was emphasized. Vicious animals should be used for breeding under no circumstances. The speaker referred to numerous instances of the transmission of unsoundness and vicious qualities from parent to offspring. He also spoke of the improvement in the breeding of animals within his remembrance, and, in closing, called upon Mr. J. L. Gerrish, of Webster, who was present, to continue the subject in relation to the breeding of sheep. Mr. Gerrish spoke of experience in the cross-breeding of sheep, and advanced the idea that there was room in New Hampshire for three distinct breeds of cross-bred sheep, adapted to the different qualities of pasture and different methods of handling. The secretary followed, on the subject of dairying, speaking mainly in reference to private dairying, and urged the keeping of more cows and the production of an article of butter that would command a higher price than the farmers of the State average to realize. After brief remarks by the chairman, the institute was adjourned until evening.

At the evening session Professor Whitcher, of Hanover, presented the subject of fertilizers in a way that commanded the closest attention of the audience. Hon. J. B. Walker, of Concord, followed, on the subject of grasses. This closed an interesting institute, and one in which the members of the Grange in Newport manifested no little interest in attending.

GRANTHAM.

A drive of twelve miles the next morning brought the representatives of the Board to East Grantham, but a severe storm prevented a large attendance. The forenoon session was devoted to the subject of stock breeding, in which Chairman Humphrey made the leading talk. Mr. Walker followed, urging the importance of breeding with some definite object in view. Animals should be bred in a way to increase the production in the line followed. The afternoon session was opened by Pro