The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-02-20
$129,261.SS s1l99.21


on the part of each town with regard
to this appropriation cannot be over
emphasized.
Agriculture is the largest industry
of Bennington County In the latest
available U. S. census which gives
the figures for 1909 the value of the
corps of Bennington County amount
ed to grand total of s1,320,399 1t
is claimed by those in authority that
4 thorough, systematic extension
work. which designs TO help every
single farmer with his problems will
enable the farmers to Increase their
output and to decrease the cost of pro
duction to an amazing degree. Elk
periments have shown that the
crops can be increased from so per
cent to 100 per cent in a few years
and that the cost of this production
can be very materially diminished
1t is predicted by those who have
been in touch with this kind of work
and know what they are talking
about that any county in New Eng
land should be able to double its agri-
cultural output, as well as TO de-
IL.
The appropriation therefore that
your town will make will be a ire
mendous stimulus and a real, practi-
cal help in increasing the profitable
ness of farming and also the output.
II Bennington County can increase
this resource, say, from so per cent
to 100 per cent in the course of a
series of years it will mean that Ben
nington county will receive from its
crops from $1.900,000 TO S2,600,000 a
year. and that too, at a greater pro-
fit. The addition that this will
bring to the grand list the increase
that this will stimulate in general
business, the improvement in schools
and churches and highways that this
would bring surely would compensate
many times over the small appropri-
ations that the towns are asked to
make.
The U. S. Government recognizes
the value of such extension work and
therefore offers to duplicate what
the town raises by giving $1,000 a
year as its share for the county
agent Our state legislature recog
recognized this not only by passing
this bill, but also by appropriating
a good sum to the State Agricultural
college for extension work. The
Bennington County Vermont Improve
ment association has been able to
raise considerable amount for this
kind Of work. The only link that re-
mains in making the cooperation
complete is the cooperation of the
towns and this is the most important
link Of all. II the towns give their
hearty cooperation all these other
forces will cooperate more and more
because of the local encouragement
and the entire scheme will increase
at least 100 per cent in efficiency be-
cause OF the better equipment OF the
county agent and of the more extern
sive work that can thus be carried
on.
We note with pride that Benning-
ton county was the first county not
only of Vermont but of New England
to secure a county agricultural agent
and that since his introduction in
this county many other counties have
ent seven other counties in Vermont
have either already organized or are
organizing for similar work. The Of
fee OF the Secretary has been beseig-
ed by representatives of Chambers
OF Commerce, Boards of Trade and
letters inquiring as to the methods
OF organization. the work undertaken
and the desirability of this kind OF
work. II therefore, remains for Ben
nngton County to maintain its pace
OF leadership. Let US be the first
county In the State OF Vermont that
shall avail itself Of this law that has
just been enacted by the General AS
sembly. the first county where every
single town in the county shall have
appropriated its share toward the
$4,000 thus enabling the extension
work 10 be carried on in the most
systematic and efficient manner pos
sible.
There is no question but that If the
towns thus cooperate and show their
appreciation Of this work. many gen
erous citizens as well as our legisla-
lures and Congress viii be even more
generous in the future than thy have
been In the past
ID you ralize that the total value Of
the crops Of the State Of Vermont in
1893 was s27.446.S36. and that II Ben
nington county can be an Incentive
TO the other counties TO do what we
are doing and thus in time double
The Agricultural output Of this state
md also decrease the cost Of produc-