Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1914-01-30
COUNTY AGRICULTURISTS
IN FIRST CONFERENCE
Washington Oregon and Idaho Represented
by County Agents--Discuss Plans for
Assisting Farmers

The first annual conference of the
county agricultural agents of Wash
ington, Oregon and Idaho, convened
at the State College Monday morning,
January 26, and sessions will be held
up to and including Friday evening,
January 80.
Diversity of opinion as to the rela
ton of the county agriculturist to the
farmer marked the opening session.
Agriculturists voiced the opinion that
the duties of the county agents should
be broadened along the line of re-
search and experimentation; others
that his duties should also include
Institute and demonstration work,
while still others opined that as the
county agents are already overloaded
with individual problems, additional
work could not be accomplished with
out m ore help.
One object of the conference is to
establish a satisfactory basis from
which the county agents may work,
and the variety of opinions expressed
in regard to the duties of the agents
proves the wisdom of calling the con-
ference.
About 35 county agents and others
interested in their work were present
at the first session and this number
was considerably augmented by late
arrivals.
The first session opened Monday
morning with Byron Hunter presid-
ing.
Farm Accounts
Discussions concerning the keeping
OF farm accounts and organization of
the farmers of the different counties
to work in conjunction with the
county agents occupied the larger
part of Monday afternoons session.
After welcoming the visitors to Pull
man President E. A. Bryan spoke at
some length on general agricultural
conditions in the Northwestern states
and was followed by L. w. Fluharty,
member of the United States de-
partment of agriculture, who read
paper written by G. B. Smith of the
same department, who was unable to
attend.
Byron Hunter mentioned the fail
ure of the large majority of the
farmers to keep a careful account of
farm receipts and expenditures as
one of their greatest handicaps.
DR.. Cardiff Speaks
DR.. Ira d. Cardiff, director of the
state experiment station, spoke on
THE Relation of the Experiment
Station to the Work of the County
Agriculturist." DR.. Cardiff voiced
an opinion that the county agricul-
tErist may be made a useful agent to
test out research discoveries in an ex-
perimental way and also in giving in
dividual instruction to the farm ers
III his community. A lively discus
sion followed the talk.
In the absence of Professor r. d.
Hetzel of the Oregon Agricultural
College, his paper dealing with the
relation of the state farmers insti-
tutes and short courses to the work
of the county agriculturist was read
by Professor H. T. French, federal
leader for Oregon.
The main idea of Professor Het-
zel's paper was that short courses and
Institutes should be auxiliary to the
work of the county agent.
Reaches Individual
THE County Agent as a Builder"
was the subject discussed by Pro-
fessor French, who attached great
importance to the fact that the
county agent gets directly in touch
with individuals and not with groups
of individuals.
Discuss Organization
r. B. Coglan, federal leader of
Idaho; Will j. Jones, agriculturist
for Lincoln county, and Lee M.
Lampson, Benton county agricultur-
list, took part In a lively discussion
concerning the organization of the
county for efficient work and each
mentioned the work along that line
which had been done in his par
ticular locality.
An Individual Experimenter
A 40-acre tract of timber land near
Spokane transformed within three
years from a worthless acreage, from