The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1912-08-13
COUNTY AGENTS WORK.
Letter OF Explanation Of the Establish
ment OF County Agents and the
Work Done by them.

readers are anxious to know how
far the work of the Agricultural
Extension Bureau has succeeded
in establishing Agent, and what
duties are required of the agents
the NEWS asked the Experimen-
tai Station at State College, Pa,
for information, and received the
following letter for publication;
Pennsylvania has eleven coun-
ty agents in the field and other
counties are actively promoting
the organizations to secure an
agent.
The county agent movement is
an effort to place in as many
counties as possible men with a
thorough, practical and funda-
mental knowledge of agriculture
to cooperate with the farmers in
dividually and through their or
CARNATIONS towards the solution
of farm problems. Its purpose
is to make the best agricultural
information Of the day common
and applied knowledge. The
county agent becomes the link
which more closely connects the
farmer with his Experiment Sta
tion. Their activities are wide.
The men who serve as county
agents do not pose as knowing
allabout agriculture. They serve
rather as studedts and helpers.
They spend their time studying
the farming interests of their re-
spective counties both from the
standpoint of production and of
distribution. They study plans,
methods and practices, and aid in
improving them when this can
be done. They bring from farm
to farm information as to the
best methods practiced by farm
ers in the different localities and |
the results obtained by the Ex-
pertinent Stations. They study |
the marketing and transportation
conditions and aid in bettering
them whenever they can. They
also conduct countrywide move
such as campaigns for
special purposes. The up-build-
ing of the soil by the proper ap-
plication of manure and fertili-
zers; the testing Of seed corn;
the renovation of old orchards;
the proper use of spraying ma
materials to prevent insects and
plant diseases; the promotion of
the livestock industry through
the use of pure-bred sires; the
increase of breeding herds and
community breeding; the organi-
zation of exchange bureaus for
feeding stock and pure seed; the
planning of balanced rations for
farm animals; the making of sur
veys of the cropping system and
business management of the farm
IRE some of his activities.
The organization Of breeders
associations, cow-testing associa-
lions, and other producing asso-
cations; the organization of boys
and girls clubs and contest work
n corn, tomatoes, pure-bred live
stock, etc., are other lines of
activity, some of which are un-
lertaken by every agent. In ad-
iition, the agents may be active :
n other ways, such as promoting
rood roads, better rural schools,
more social life, and better con-
iitions in general.
Each man emphasizes some
special line OF work and makes
hat his leader. It's nature nec-
'ssarily depends largely upon {
he needs of the county. The
work also varies with the char
lcter and personnel of the bureau :
,acking him. AS no agent can !
'e a specialist in all lines of agri- {
each one calls upon the
pecialists of the College, when q
lelp is needed. All agents are G
n close touch with the College at d
il times and do their work under '
is general direction and super
'ision.
The agents work is effective I
n proportion as the interest and a
cooperation of the best farmers S
f the county are enlisted. That