Morris tribune., 1913-12-05
Specializing Agriculture

Minnesota has undertaken to specialize agriculture Ly
bringing into it efficiency of dignity and civic re-
sponsbility and social spirit, in thorough and
systematic way than probably any other state in the Union
Just what being done and all that is being done. few
of own citizens, know appreciate.
They all feel this movement they catch it in the air,
they feel its stimulus and sympathize in general way
with its purposes But just what is being done, what
the plan, how do its parts coordinate and what are
its elements? We tell this better than by quot
ing from address of President George Vincent
of the state university who has gift for putting things
into words clearly, succncty and fully
FIt is first of a'' he said "a system of distrbut.
ing information and afording supervision. The organ
zation around the agricultural college. nforma
tion must be in response demand and temporary
termttent effort permanent adequate effect
must become continuous and persistent.
So it is ''the Minnesota plan'' as he gives it, in
the following features The division of the state
DISTRICTS each with it's experiment station
the appointment of district agents 1.-TWO already servce
in charge of these divisions the employment in each
county of resident agricultural agent (25 at work. ap
pointed by the dean of the department of agriculture in
the university and supported jointly by local subscription
county APPROPRIATION. state subsidy federal grant,
the cooperation with these agents of $50 teachers of agr
culture IN state-ubsldZed high schools; the active
port cooperation of farmers clubs development
Citations, commercial clubs bankers committees good
roads associations stock breeding organizations daily
ferences between county agents and Individual farmers
concerning crop rotation pure Seeds drainage live stock
diseases of plants animals accounting
ing Credits assistance by the county agents and
station experts cooperative creameres selling associ-
ations and other community enterprises the manipulation
of demonstration farms (25 in operaton) owned and
Operated by regular farmers who without any subsidy
agree to follow instructions nf experiment stations
and to make daily reports.
Next the agencies for interesting the public in
rural affairs The chief of these Certain extension
activities of the university the farmers Institutes farm
ers clubs commercial clubs. united in state federation
the State Federation of Womens clubs, good roads
socations improvement societies. These organizations
hold public meetings and conventions at which wide
variety of rural topics are discussed.
''The movement makes for mutual understanding ant
good will. Farmers and bankers school teachers
storekeepers professors and politicians club women
farmers wives dra into cumradeshp. Perhaps
however, ought say that the millennium has no
y dawned in Minnesota.
Human nature has undergone no sudden change
There apathy to be counteraced prejudice be
come Suspicion concerning dsinterested citizens lik
for example, has not been entirely dispeed Blu
real beginning has been made The air is full of hop
and determination One is not to be blamed for feein
that it is good thing to live in region that awaken
ing purpose and is organizing its efforts '-Dulut
, News-Tribune.