The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-01-02
FIRST ANNUAL REPORT Of SECRETARY COOPER
Observation-Disclosures ASSOCIATION
opt the advice and aid of the asri-

cept the advice and aid of the agri-
cultural expert.
Agricultural experts of broad train.
ing and experience are placed in
counties. or districts thereof. to de-
velop agricultural interest and in
duce a change in method. Each man
Is assigned to a county or part Of a
county. consisting OF from 500 to 500
square miles. He makes his home
territory often and thoroughly. and IL
ready to assist and advise those who
care to avail themselves Of his serv-
ices.
The work is primarily not one OF
investigation. but Of taking personal
ly to h individual operating his own
farm the results Of Investigations az
culture. the experiment stations. and
similar agencies. The field men Of
this association interpret the results
OF work and experiments and show
their possible application to local con-
ditions. The field demonstrations and
personal contact of the field have az
their purpose the converting Of knowl-
edge now existent into the common
practice OF. large numbers Of people
engaged in agriculture. All forms of
experimental work on the farm are
carefully avoided and only those
methods which have been amply DEM
onstrated and worked out are ap-
piled to the firms in each locality.
All field or livestock demonstrations
are carried on in cooperation with
the farmers without expense to the
association. The farmer furnishes la
Dor. machinery. land. seed. etc. and
Is required to operate under the di-
ERECTION Of the agriculturist. and Is the
owner OF all crops and products OBJ
tanned. Summarized. the features Of
the plan OF work are, first. the COM
petent agricultural field agent In per-
sonal contact with the farmer receive
Operation Of the farmer In the demon
lstration. thus securing a maximum Of
interest.
Counties in Which Work Is Organized.
The early part of the year was de-
voted to securing the cooperation Of
counties and districts. The adhering
counties or districts agreed to make
fixed appropriations for a period of
three years n the Better Farming
association agreed to appropriate for
the same period Of time an equal sum
OF money. and to devote the joint sun
thus obtained to work within the
county or district.
The following counties and districts
have entered into such agreements
and r furnishing the necessary
funds required in the work. all work
eral Office Of the Better Farming as
ISOLATION:
Barnes county. Stutsman county.
Wells county. Minot district (Ward
county,. Bottineau county. Cavalier
lcounty. Bowman county. Lisbon dis
trict (Ransom county,. Eddy county.
Grand Forks county, Adams county,
Hettinger county.
In addition to the above named
counties and districts. work has been
carried on in the following areas:
Northeastern corner Of Towner
lcounty, southern townships In Billings
county contiguous to Bowman and a
small portion of the southwestern part
OF Pembina county.
Expenditures for Work.
The development Of work for the
fiscal year has required expenditures
of ~s43.1l0.7o. This sum has been
Jointly furnished by the cooperating
counties and districts, and by the con.
association. namely. the railroads
wholesale houses. and milling inter
ests. the banks. and the North Dakota
bankers association.
Field STAFF.
The association has been fortunate
in securing a large number of com.
!. petent agriculturists to carry on it,
work. The success of the movement
Is very largely dependent upon the
men in the field. Their competence
and their ability to convince people
generally Of the advantage Of applying
better methods of agriculture to theil
lfarms. has proven in all localities thai
better farming is a fact, not a theory
and that farmers may with profi,
adopt the methods advocated. The
present field staff with the counties In
which located and the time at which
they were appointed, Is shown as fol-
lows:
o. d. Center. April 20, Grand Forks
county.
n. L. Jewett. July 1. Grand Fork.
J. ". Haw, February 81. Cavalier
county.
Tn. T. Kristjanson, March /, cava.
lier county.
o. O. Thlhorn, March %, Ransom
~county Lisbon district.)
Edwin Maryland, March Z. Barnes
F. ". White, March %. Barne.
county.
NJ. B. johnson. January z. Botti.
neau county.
r. A. entity. July 10. Bottineau
county.
c. o. Phelps, October %. Well.
county.
T. E. Clarke. September 1. Well.
county.
". II. Burns. April 8. Eddy county
A. F. Borchert. January 81. Suits.
man county.
]. W. McNary, September i. Suits.
man county.
w. A. Pack. March 10. Ward coun.
ty tMinot district.)
r. d. Latin. october 1, Adam,
county.
]. r.. Campbell. November 1. Het.
+. E.. Mills. March IS. Bowman
county.
Specific Work of the Association.
The form of work Is such that 1t II
difficult to properly convey to thu
mind the various activities that have
been carried on and their effect upor
the community. It is only after a pc.
riod Of years that the value Of work
can be shown and then as reflected
in the changed conditions that prevail
in the community or county. Specific
forms Of field work have been carried
on the past year with 2.346 farm CO.
operators. Each of these men carried