Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 70, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 March 1914 — LEVER AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION BILL AND WHAT IT IS SUPPOSED TO OO [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

LEVER AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION BILL AND WHAT IT IS SUPPOSED TO OO

This Act, Which Provides for Carrying to the Actual Farmer Upon the Farm the Latest and Best Methods of Agriculture, Passed Congress by an Almost Unanimous Vote—Senate •L- Increased Appropriation Passed by House.

By HOWARD H. GROSS,

ture under various conditions so we may get the best results for the effort and money expended. We are too often out of harmony with nature’s plan. If we observe and interpret correctly conditions and then do the right thing at the right time and in the right way, the reward will be abundant The steel industry was completely revolutionized by science and the cost of production of this article was greatly reduced, and the profits at the same time immensely increased. Agriculture will as surely be revolutionized by science within a score of years. We have on hand, and we might say in cold storage, the scientific knowledge necessary to do this. The problem is to get it out to the man on the farm and have him make use of it

President National Soil Fertility League.

Waghjngtnn.-—-A review of the efforts that have been mado~for better agriculture, why this last act was passed and what it 4e supposed to do, will be interesting. Over fifty years ago by the Morrill act, congress established the agricultural collegesl by land grant. They were designed to disseminate the agricultural knowledge to the farmers of the country, upon the theory that agriculture is the most important industry and that the success of all our efforts for advancing civilization is based upon it It soon became apparent that the body of definite scientific knowledge was very limited, so 25 years later, under the Hatch act, congress established the United States experiment, stations for the purpose of developing an effective system of agriculture. This was followed by the Adams act providing for scientific research; then the Nelson amendments were passed increasing the appropriations. Resulting from the above legislation the agricultural colleges and experiment stations, as well as the federal

The Lever agricultural .extension act, just passed by congress, will furnish a practical, sensible, efficient and sufficient plan for doiug this. By its terms, by co-operation with the states, it. endows the agricultural colleges with sufficient funds to enable the colleges to train and place ultimately and permanently in every agricultural county a trained man to help the farmers understand and apply the new methods in farm operations, and keep these methods up to date. If the plan is to succeed, it is of the highest importance that the farmer shall do his part and cooperate with the farm adviser fully and in a friendly way. The danger that surrounds the plan is the sending out of incapable or indiscreet men as farm advisers. It will be a difficult position for a man to hold; he should be well versed in all phases of farming and have both a \thorough, scientific training and considerable practical farm experience. He must know how to meet people in an acceptable manner. It will be the duty of these advisers to assist such farmers as desire it, to understand and apply the newer methode in their farm operations. These men will be the medium by which the college will reach the farmer and the farmer will reach the college—a sort of pipe line through which the pent-up knowledge will reach the farms. The attitude of these farm advisers is designed to be that of a co-operator rather than an instructor, for it will doubtless be true that they will learn as much from the farmers as the farmers will learn from them. The one ie presumed to be equipped with the theory and the science of the art, and the other the practical experience of it. The best results should be had by bringing these together. The Lever act contemIt may be interesting to illustrate the manner in which the act is pre-

department of agriculture have been at work developing, collecting, classifying and reducing to practice a vast fund of-thoroughly tested out, scientific knowledge relating to agriculture, which, if it were in the hands of the actual farmers and generally applied by them, would revolutionize the art of farming and bring untold benefit to the whole people and to the farmers in particular. The re-direction of agriculture on scientific lines is one of the biggest and most important subjects that has ever been brought before the people.

For the last 15 years or more various efforts have been made to get this stored up knowledge out into the hands of the actual farmers for whom it was gathered, and who helped to pay the enormous cost of getting it. They undoubtedly have the right not only to ask but demand that it should be furnished to them in such a manner that they can make use of it

4mong the plans tried was the sending broadcast to the farmers and others interested ten of millions of tins from the department at ton and many more from the experiment stations and colleges. Comparatively few of these bulletins, however were written in plain non technical language, hence the average person could not understand them.

Another method was by "talk-fests” at farmers’ meetings, also the operation of lecture trains in co-operation with the railways.

None or all of these methods, however, have proven sufficient for the purpose, In fact they have hardly made a dent upon the main proposition. Experience showed that a better way must be found. Well, one was found years ago, and that was In making actual field demonstrations, showing the improved results that were secured by newer methods. This was convincing and just what was needed. It was not only theory, but theory applied in practice.

Few people not engaged in the industry realize that farming is a very difficult business owing to the ever changing conditions that the farmer must meet. One season it is too wet, the next too dry, the third is too wet. gay, iu the spring and too dry later Id the year when' the crop is matured; one year it is too cold, then the next it is hot winds; peate in nun-enable are to be contended with always, both above and below ground; weeds are everywhere In evidence. There are few lines of business that are more complex or where there is greater need for sound judgment, experience, quick decision, prompt actibn and that opens a larger field for the application of sei epee than that of farming. We are too apt to think science a mysIterioue and Intangible something, when indeed it is very simple; when reduced to its last analysis It is the of how to work with na-

turned to work out and what those who framed It had sh mtnd. Suppose we take a state of 100 counties. The state college authorities ths first year can find only a few men in the whole state, say, ten, who are capable of doing field work as adviser, so they must make a start with these. The next year a few more can be found and trained and fitted for the work. It will probably be eight or ten years before the state will be fully equipped and every county supplied with an efficient man, and the plan contemplated by the act be fully organized and in operation. The counties will undoubtedly be clamoring, for men long before they can get them, so the danger lies in going too fast and letting' incompetent men slip into the service. No greater mistake could be made. The

ten available men to begin with should be located at central points where they will be most accessible as farm advisers. They should have two or three assistants, young men taking the agricultural college course, and use them to do the preliminary work under the direction and supervision of the district farm adviser. They will visit the farmers, tell them of the plan and ascertain from them whatever serious problems they may have relating, to that locality and how they have been dealing with them. These young men should consult frequently, if not daily, with the farm adviser.

Howard H. Gross.

Agricultural Extension Work.