FARMERS INSTITUTES
Beginning where the Royal Agricultural Society left off, the Farmers institutes promoted agricultural education on a variety of farming topics including soil cultivation, orchard management, livestock, seed varieties, i‘ruits, and estimates on the state and production of crops. These Institutes bought seed, fertilizer, and feed cooperatively, an early reflection of the co—operative movement, which was beginning to take root on the Island. Eventually, these Institutes began to initiate c0- operative practices among their members, and served as the center of shipping clubs for livestock, buying clubs for seed, equipment and feed. (30)
St. Peters Bay Farmer’s Institute (1901): (31)
Name: “St. Peter’s Institute, Head St. Peters Bay President: Charles Waye, Head St. Peters Bay Secretary: Andrew Lewis, Head St. Peters Bay Number of Members in 1901: 133
Government Grant: $50.00
Total Receipts: $1 16.50
Purchase of Stock Expenditures: 0
Official Salaries: 0
Misc. expenditures: 0
Total expenditures: 0
Balance on hand (1901): $116.50
An article in the Examiner reported that “the largest institution (was) situated in the eastern part of the Island, where the farmers have gone into the work with more energy." (32) The St. Peters Bay branch of the Farmers Institutes led the Island in membership numbers with its 133 participants. According to Don Anderson George Maclnnis was active in the initiation the Farmers Institutes in St. Peters. (33)
Cable Head East Farmer's Institute:
Name: “Cable Head East" President: Bennett Lewis, St. Peters Bay Secretary: Joseph Lewis, St. Peters Bay
No. of members:
1937: 22 1942: 18 1938: 19 1943: 20 1939: 17 1944: 21 1940: 16 1946: 20 1941: 16 1947: 18
97