Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1913-03-28
FARM EXPERT. LAW
OFFERS BEST MEANS
TO AID SETTLERS
Commissioners Authorized to EN-
ploy Agricultural Expert to As
sist Farm Development.
WOULD BENEFIT THURsTON
Individual instruction Would
Start New Settler Right and
Improve Present Methods.
(Dy Mark EVvald.)

House Dill NO. ZS, passed Dy the last
legislature and recently approved by
the governor, providing for the estab-
lishment of state bureau of farm de-
velopment and the employment of agri-
cultural experts by the county commits
sioners of each county, offers, If put
into operation, one of the most effec-
tive means of not only aiding the indi-
vidual farmer but of developing the
agricultural resources of Thurston
county.
The act stipulates that the county
commissioners, If they desire, may ap-
point an agricultural expert who must
have the recommendations of the d.
rector of the state agricultural college.
He is to devote his time, knowledge
and experience to the farmer in every
thing pertaining to the farm, to give
individual instruction as desired and
to conduct experimental work with the
object of improving the agricultural
conditions and methods Of the county.
The act Is not new as similar stat
utes have been in operation in the
East for some time and have proven
entirely successful. An editorial in
last weeks Golfers Weekly, under the
title. "The Birth Of an Idea." said:
"Six or eight years ago the business
men of Henderson, KY, the metrop-
oils Of large but tagging agricultural
district. organized a commercial club
and set out to make their town q young
Pittsburg. They proclaimed Hender-
sons advantages on billboards and
sent their cleverest takers to inter
view capitalists in the large cities. But
months and years slipped by, and
scarcely any new factories were built.
1t took these men long time to real
ize that they were wasting much pre-
cious time in misdirected effort. But
at last came an inspiration. The pro-
gressive members Of the club met the
other day and resolved themselves into
a crop improvement association. The
idea became popular with the farmers,
who will control the policies Of the or
ganization. The Chicago Board OF
Trade became interested in the expert
ment and agreed to contribute $4,000
to help pay the first two years ex-
penses; and the department OF agri-
culture will pay $50 month of the ex-
pert's salary. The trained agricultur-
ist will make laboratory tests of soils
and dairy products, conduct practical
demonstrations on farms, and give free
advice to all who ask for it-in fact,
do anything he sees fit for the promo
ton of better farming. The idea is
splendid one. 1t is based on the
sound, fundamental truth that the soil
ia the source of new wealth. Most
commercial clubs spend their energy
and money trying to get factories away
from other Cities"
1t is not difficult to realize what
great amount of good proficient ad'
visor could accomplish in such coun-
ties as Thurston, where logged-on
lands are being rapidly taken up by
settlers who in a great many cases are
inst from the cities and whose knowl-
edge of farming is extremely limited.
These settlers, with the aid OF the ex-
pert to guide them into beginning IN
the proper manner, would be able to
Law out a farm that will produce for
them Just returns for their efforts.
without the aid of the expert they
would be subject to the same conditions
that exist today: namely, the new set
tier on arriving seeks his neighbor LOT
the necessary advice in setting out his
crops and his neighbor, the chances
are is as much in the dark regarding
farming as himself. AS result the
new settlers small farm, when ne
homes will return him fair living, Is
set out in a haphazard fashion and
Yields him little or nothing. Discour-
aeement is bound to follow and IN
many cases the farm will be abandon
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