New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-26
EDUCATION BOARD
AIDS AGRICULTURE
Report Shows Southern
Farmer Pays Vast Sum
for knowledge.

The imperative need of the Southern
farmer is more adequate knowledge OF
intensive and scientific agriculture ac-
cording 70 an instalment Of the forth-
coming report Of the General Eduea-
ton Board. endowed by John D. kocEe-
Teller. made public last night Inc is-
port says IN part: -. . .ho
"Mr. Rockefeller's irst GIT 10 tne
General Education Board was Designed
10 support inquiry into the eduss 'ioIdl
needs OF the Southern people. 10 soon
became clear that adequate deyelVp-
ments could not take place u3Il tne
available resources % the people were
greatly enlarged. lit.
These conditions were not primary
due 70 any lack Of interest IN popula'
education. The prime need was money
The Southern farmer suffered from
lack of scientific knowledge o. agr'-
culture and soil cultivation.
~ vas. therefore, deliberately de
cided TO undertake the agricultural ed
ucation not Of the future farmer Dut
of the presen, farmer. on the theory
that n the latter could be substantially
helped he would gladly support better
schools in more and more liberal iasn-
ion. The extension of the so-ca.led CO.
ope.ative farm demonstration move
ucnt resulted from this investigation:
The United States Department OF
Agriculture became a party 20 the nee
essarv arrangements. An agreement
signed on April 20. 1905. by the Secre-
tarv Of Agriculture and the Secretary
o. the General Education Board pro
,ided that the farmers cooperative
work iu which the General Education
Board is 10 become interested, snaH oe
entirely distinct in territory ana
finance from that carried on By the De
partment Of Agriculture, and that the
United States Department OF Agricult-
uro shall have supervision OF the work
and shall appoint all special agents Tor
this extended territory IN the same
way that they are now appointed, ana
The said agents shall be under control
o. said department in every respect as
FULLY as any Of the regular agents OF
the department
Since the end OF this agreement, the
report goes on TO state. agriculturai
demonstrations IN wecvil injected
states have been conducted with gov
eminent funds. Agricultural demon
STATIONS in non-infected states have
been supported bv the General Educa-
ton Board. I'm this manner a premium
has been placed upon government ac-
tiyity I'm suppressing this insect enemy
OF the Southern farmer.
The report contains table showing
that I'M 1906 the cost of the southern
agricultural education work was divided
as follows: Government. 100000; zen
eral Education Board. $1,000. The fol
loving year the government expended
10000 30. the General Education Board
provided $4,000 and the Southern
farmers themselves spent $500. The
figures continue from year to year
until for tho present year II appears
that the government has spent SID
600. the General Education Board So
600 and the farmers Si9O,ll9 OS. The
report continues:
THUS in less than a decade the
southern people themselves are paying
almost 80 per cent OF the total annual
expenditure, approaching Sl.2oO.OOO
thus indicating the policy upon which
the board had acted