The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1912-07-12
EXPERT.
Prompt Action May Secure One For
Gounty-Plan Endorsed by I'm
provement Association-Farm.
ers' Organizations Will be
Asked to Co.

The present session of congress in.
cluded in the agricultural department
appropriation bill an item of something
like $3.50, 900 to be expended in the en-
ployment of trained agricultural ex-
perts in the northern states who will
undertake the work of co operating
with the farmers of such counties as
will agree to meet a portion of the ex-
pense involved. The plan is outlined
as follows in letter from J. g. Nc
Dowell of the Agricultural Depart
ment, who has charge of the work in
the northern district:
Dear Sir:-In response to your re.
quest, wish to say that our plan of CO.
operation with counties is as follows;
After July l, we expect to place a
few men in various sections of the
North to co operate with farmers in
local areas usually county, in the
organization of their farm work and
the improvement of their agriculture
The plan thus far developed provides
that our Office of Farm Management,
in cooperation with the state agricul-
tural college, pay not to exceed one
half the salary and expense of the man
who takes charge of this work; and the
county in which he works, or some
other local organization, will be ex-
pected to pay half the salary and ex-
penses and to furnish Office room and
equipment
"The work is to be outlined by each
of the operators interested and its di-
rection undertaken by our Office and
the state agricultural college. The
trained man thus placed within To-
cal area will cooperate with every
farmer in the county who desires his
assistance along any line of farming.
He will call to his aid the specialists
OF the state experiment station or agri.
cultural college, and this department,
when their services are needed.
~ will proba bly, take $4,000 to
$2,5 year to cover the salary and
exp1hses of one of these field men. |
believe in securing the best men our
funds will allow.
1--WE have only limited amount
of money for this county work, and
already have more applications than
we can accept, but some of the coun.
ties will doubtless have trouble in
raising their share of the funds. We
have decided to make no positive ar
rangements with any county until il
has raised its share of the funds nee.
essary, consequently it will really be a
case of first come first served
For further information as to the
character of the work to be undertaken
in the various counties, see the enclosed
outline"
The particulars and specific duties of
the expert to be sent out by the depart
ment are defined in the following cir
cular, which is sent out by the national
I department of agriculture. 1t reads as
follows
"FARM MANAGEMENT FIELD STUDIES
AND DEMONSTRATIONS"
"The work will be in charge of a
trained agriculturist who will conduct
farm management field studies and
demonstrations among the farmers of a
given locality.
"He will acquaint himself as rapidly
as possible with the general agricul
tural conditions of the locality, study
the variovs types of soils, the crops
that have been found to be best adapt
ed, and the types of farming that have
been most successful on each type oi
soil.
He will spend his entire time In
the interests of improved farming in
the section, studying the methods and
practices of the most successful farm
ers who are following the various
types Of farming. He will visit tn,
farmers on their farms, study thei
plans, and aid them in formulating
better plans.
He will study in detail the method
OF the farmers in preparing their lant
for seeding, the methods Of cultivation
the kind Of fertilizer used, the kinds o
seed, how it is selected and kept. how
the crop is gathered and disposed of
He will study the live stock. He will
study every phase of all the farms h
visits so that he may know what meth
DDS, crops, and systems are best for tn
locality, and at all times wherever b.
goes he will give the farmers the benefi
of the information he gets. He will
also give the farmers the benefit of tn
results Of scientific Investigations con
Quoted by the various experiment sta
tions and the U. s. Department Of Ag
riculture relating to all kinds of farm
practice.
He will study the agricultural ten
denotes and possibilities of the locality
and study the relations of the agricul
ture oflthe county to that of the neigh
49,