The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1913-02-11
P. Y. Finley Talks
Of Farm Expert
Much Good Might Be Done and Many
Dollars Saved By Real
Expert

One of the worthy matters being
discussed in Redwood county at the
present time is the installing Of a
county agent, and from the favorable
comment it seems that such service
will be installed.
Such an agent can be very helpful
throughout the widely scattered COM
munities Of the county in hundred
different ways. Being paid from
definite source he should have every
reason to be a free moral agent and
terat everyone alike.
He can be of assistance in promot-
ing social, literary and practical work.
This service is being rendered in near
ly all of our sister states, as Wiscon-
sin, Illinois, Michigan, North and
South Dakota and others. Minnesota
has several such agents who have been
in the field since September and so far
their service has consisted in organic
ing farmers clubs, literary societies,
breeders associations, etc. Their work
for the summer broadens to many
other lines such as meeting farm prob
lens, conducting boys contests and
overseeing experiments.
One of these agents in less than
three months had been instrumental
in organizing several breeders associa-
tons, and in each case good registered
sires had been purchased which must
raise the standard of that county's
stock.
North Dakota has quite number of
such agents, and South Dakota a few.
In Brown county, South Dakota,
the agent had large industrial con-
test and institute during December
that attracted the attention Of the en-
tire state. 1t was estimated that the
100 farmers who had taken active part
in the service had reaped cash bene-
fit Of over 100000 from the increased
yield of products, besides the salts
factie- Of possessing those better pro-
ducts.t Often information is desired
as to where stock or seed may be
bought or sold, but there is no definite
source for it. The county agent can
have this information at his Office and
everyone can call for it or know where
to go and get it. He can stand as a
representative of progress and educa-
ton throughout his county and give
his best service to those about him.
He is yours to command, and if infor-
nation is not directly at hand efforts
can be made to secure it through the
college and Federal Department under
whose alliance he is working.
Look for instance at the report of
the Country Life Commission. They
found that the great weakness in
country conditions was that there was
no connecting agent between the
sources of research for Improvement
of rural conditions, and those who had
" w tIiC WOIh OIl luS IdIIIl.
If these conditions can be improved
and farm life made more attractive
through a closer cooperation and use
of the ideas of individuals for the
masses, this agent would have sown
benefits untold, not only from the
standpoint of money gain, but from
the standpoint of education, content
ment and character building.
The apportioned cost to each farm
in the county would be so small as to
scarcely merit the mention, being
about 10 per quarter section, and the
benefits far-reaching and free to all.
The method of financing is to raise
$1,000 in the county for the first year
and guarantee like amount for the
second year, after which $1,000 will
come from the State and Federal de-
partments and $1,000 from the council
of Grain Exchanges.