Milford chronicle., 1913-01-10
COOPERATIVE DEMONSTRATION
WORK In The SOUTH STATES


Secretary Wilson has been receiving
reports of the various activities of the De-
partment and their results preparatory to
completing his annual report, and is
especially pleased with the splendid re
suits of the Farmers Cooperative Dem
onstration work in the South, under the
direction of Bradford knapp of the Bureau
of Plant Industry.
More than 100000 adult farmers in this
section have been directly enrolled in the
Demonstration work during the year, and
MANY times that number have indirectly
profted by the Departments instruction.
Much attention has been given the past
year to urging the use OF crops adapted
to soil and climatic conditions, espec' ally
in the western Texas and Oklahoma,
where moisture is largely the controlling
factor iG crop production.
The South is beginning to appreciate
the importance of diversified agriculture
and show less inclination than herefore |
to stick to one crop. More corn, peas, |
velvet beans, cOWpeas, alfalfa, and other /
clovers, and grasses have been grown |
the past year than ever before This /
naturally results in greater intrest in hog
"a sing daring, and other branches of |
animal industry. Silos are being built
pastures established, and a vigorous
waged for the eradication Of the
cattle tick.
Especially noteworthy results have been
secured in the Boys Corn Club and girls.
Canning Club work. while final yields
have not all been reported, it is believed
By those in the work that ell records for
,Orn yields will be broken Whether or
rot this is to be the case, it is already
certain that large proportion of the boys
han heretofore have made very high
Fields at low cost. There were about
Q, 900 boys enrolled in the various clubs
Turing the past year, most of them grow
ng corn, but several thousand being also
nrolled in Cotton and Kafir Corn Club.
1t is difficult to estimate the amount
1 good accomplished by the Girls cam.
lg Club Work, in which more than
0 600 girls we're engaged the past year.
hey each cultivated one tenth Of an acre
q tomatoes or other vegetable and can.
ed the products. Cultural directions and
aiming instruction were furnished bV 9
be Department of Agriculture. Hun {
reds of simple and inexpensive can E
ing outfits have been purchase by {
lub members and their families, and the
ctual number of cans tomatoes and q
ther vegetables put up by them runs in. t
} the millions This, in a section where P
eretofore too little attention has been S
Iven to the home garden to the saving o
vegetables and fruits for winter use b
canning, will do much to revolution o
.e agriculture in this respect and tend c
} solve the problem of better living in d
he country. The actual money valGe of p
he results of the girls, Canning Club o
York, although very large, is accounted d
ut small part of the good accomplished L
he principal thing being its influence ii
pom the country home and rural life. u
In all these lines the Demonstration o.
York is cooperating with the Bureau of 81
nimal Idustry and with other offices in "
le Department of Agriculture and with fa
.gricultural Colleges and other State CT
'rces. Due largely 10 the Demonstration Il
York, the cooperative idea has had II
eat growth in the South The import. /,
ice of work is fully realized by these bl
,0ple, to whom it has shown the great
)ssibilities of southern agriculture. In bl
ven States the legislatures have provided bC
, law for county support of the work us
ne State Agricultural Colleges in nine III
It of the twelve states in which the in
)rk is being conducted are cooperating sa
rectly with the Department in the Bows,
d Girls, Club Work. Some of the
ate legislatures have made direct appro.
iations tor cooperative demonstration
'rk with the Department.
Il is believed that in the near future
2 system will grow into a throughly cal
)rdinated organization taking to the til,
mer on his own farm the great fund of tn,
liable information on agriculture sub. we
Is now in the hands of the State College wi
/ the Department. VII
The Demonstration Work in the South !
J been pioneer work. 1t has not onlv
to the farmer the possibili
of their soil, but has established
' principle in educational activity and ii
en- an example in constructive effort
the whole county. It is not too
ch to say that its success is responsible
the Inauguration of anew educational
vement all over the country and a
irected effort to help the farmer
luOh npreOnql oonfaaf 7