Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-14
Praises Scott County Plan.


IF other counties in other states in the
Union would follow Scott county's exam
ple," said Secretary Wilson this morning,
there would be an immediate and re-
markable increase in the volume and the
value of our agricultural products. The
department has long recognized the i'm
portance of this organized county work
and for several years has been securing
remarkable results in the southern states,
but it was not until last year that Con-
gress made an appropriation SO that the
federal government might assist IN TINS
work in the northern and western states.
1t is of interest in this connection to
saw that Scott county and the adjoining
county of Clinton were tie first In Iowa
to organize. employ crop experts ana
take advantage of federal aid to the eX-
tent of 800 a month. The department.
for instance appropriates this amount
to help pay the expenses OF e. X Bliss,
Scott countys crop doctor; VINO was
formerly professor of horticulture of the
Iowa State College at Ames. and VINO
co operates with the county in all sorts
of experimental work. 1t Is confidently
of at least 100000 year in the value
of Scott county's corn crop alone as
result of the farm leagues EFFORTS IN
instructing the farmers how TO select
fest and save their seed corn.
ut is a remarkable thing to me, MI.
Norwood commented. after his talk with
Secretary Wilson, that the farmers Oh
Montgomery county, Md, which aoJoihs
the District. do not organize, einpios a
crop expert, take advantage of the red
eral appropriation. and induce the De
| partment of Agriculture to make the
| county a model Of its KIND as an III
centiye to the rest of the states TO 90 Hhe.
wise. incidentally. it is of interest that
ont at Des Moines, Iowa, where the leg
| islature is in session. they are taking vi
| making a sizable appropriation lot the
| purchase of a big, high-prlced iowa 1arIi
and making it the most modern eAPei i
nart station in the United States. under
the supervision of Secretary wilson, VINO
is beloved throughout the entire state
| 81 do not know that the Secretary VINO
| ia about to conclude his record-preakinS
| term of office and VINO mas oi ,ta e INT
Agricultural Department up to its present
| high state of efficiency, would consiuer
such a proposition, but he is SO oeepiy
| interested in Iowa and everything tnat
! pertains to it that l rather believe he
would"
Fund Raised Without Difficulty.
Mr. Dawson made the statement to Sec
retarv Wilson that the $4,000 necessary to
supplement the federal appropriation for
Scott county, so that the farm develop
ment work could be carried on. was rails
ed without difficulty, most of it in the
community, illustrating in an emphatic
manner the fact that the commercial in
terests of the section realize the indus
trial Importance to the community OF
highly developed and highly productive
farms.
Mr.. Norwood told Secretary Wilson to-
day that he had received many letters
from farmers in Maryland and Virginia
not less than a dozen from Montgomery
county-asking for literature describing
the plan under which the Scott County
Farm Improvement League is operated.
.These farmers" said Mr.. Norwood
'.seem to forget that the Agricultural De-
partment originated this proposition and
stands ready to help any county and any
agricultural community that will meet it
half way with organized effort. And
there is no question that any county and
any community which gives the organ
lied crop work a fair trial for one year
will be most enthusiastic in its praise and
absolutely convinced Of the material
benefits that result, not only to the indi-
vidual farmer, but to the county or COM
munty as whole"