The log cabin Democrat., 1912-10-19
DEMONSTRATION
 AGRICULTURE PAYS
BOOSTS FARM EARNINGS
STATE AGENT WATSON POINTS OUT BENEFITS FOLLOWING
 NEW SYSTEM.

In order to get the matter to the attention of the members of quorum courts, which will convene in each county on Wednesday,, October i23, State Agent C. w. Watson has lust issued the following circular relative to the advantages of the demonstra- tion farm work in this state: The aim of the demonstration work is to place an object lesson of good 1 farming in every rural community It seeks to show farmers how to build up and maintain fertility of the soil and get a better return for the labor they are eXpending upon their land It strives to instruct the farmers through practical demonstrations so that he will produce more largely of his home necessities, grow larger crops at less expense. and better able to adopt such q system of farming as will place him upon permanent basis of success and prosperity
 The average producing power of each acre of our southern farms is en- tirely too low The demonstration work seeks to remedy that condition. It does not seek to produce more of any one crop, but to make it possible to grow the same amount on less acres and leave more acres for additional crops that will contribute toward the family expenses. Some of it's simple and fundamental lessons are:
 l. Deep fall blowing and prepara- tion of better seedbed in which to grow crops.
 2. The value of the use of better seed, carefully selected and preserved.
 3. The great value of better culti- tivation of the crop.
 1. The judicous use of fertilizers. both commercial and home produced.
 ,. The value of leguminous crops in restoring nitrogen and humus to the soil and the raising of livestock for the same purpose, as well as for profit
 The use of better tools and teams so that the farmer can actually do more in a given time and thus increase his earning capacity.
 [. The production upon the place of feed and forage for stock and food for the family.
 s. The introduction of such a crop ping system as fill result in the per manent restoring of soil fertility. The plan of this work is for a coun- ty or local agent to be employed who establishes demonstration farms in each ward with farmers who will give the methods of the department fair trial. These demonstrations are for the purpose of bringing out some of the above principles. The agent is required to visit these farms and 1 farmers once in every 30 days. They are generally located in the public places so that their influence will eX- 1 tend throughout the community We are so confident that these methods will make good that we insist that the ] demonstrations shall be confined to the vicinity of public roads. lnstruc- 1 tions are furnished to these farmers l through bulletins from Washington, as well as through the monthly visits 1 by the agent. Other farmers not liv- i ing along the roads and too far dist ant to be visited by the agent, will re ceive the bulletins upon request and can grow crops under the instructions of the department. An agent will i handle from 50 to 100 farmers, whom he visits regularly, depending on the population and the roads of the coun- | ty. In addition to this, he rapidly be- comes an agricultural adviser of ] farmers throughout the county and assists, insofar as his time will per init, any and all farmers in solving the problems which confront them.
 The instructions and bulletins are the most practical collection of agri- cultural information possible to put into the farmers hands. The infor- nation is secured from the depart ment at Washington, data from the agricultural colleges and experiment 1 stations, and experienced methods and practices gathered from the best and most successful farmers and from the 100000 farmers and agents who have been working under the direct in structions of the department during the year.