The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1914-03-05
The Lever Bill.

It is curious that SO much of the
comment, in Northern and Western
newspapers, on the Lever measure
for AGRICULTURAL extension work, has
indicated a lack of understanding OF
the attitudes of the different Sec
tions toward better agriculture. 1t is
true that agriculture in some parts
of the North is more progressive
than in the South. But the deca-
dence of farming in many sections
of the North, particularly in New
York and New England, has been
such as to make very plain that
other sections of the country have
their troubles in this regard.
The Lever measure looks to CO.
operation between the States and
the nation, in the great work of car
rying better farming methods di-
rectly to the farm. That there may
be no unjust imposition on the Fed
eral government, it provides that
every dollar of Federal money pro-
vided for this purpose shall be
matched by another appropriated by
the State. Moreover, the money thus
provided is to be handled in each
State, through the agricultural COL
leges, which are maintained jointly
by State and national funds. NJ
State will be able to draw its allot-
ment of the national money until it
shall have made provision for it's own
share
This plan will make available a
fund with which to put demonstra-
tors of modern and scientific farm
methods into the field, to go to the
farms and help the farmers improve
their methods. The whole fund of
immensely valuable information
about good farming proper man
agement of soils, crop rotation, hand
ling of stock, use of fertilizers, and
the thousands of other intensely
practical subjects on which scientific
and practical experimentation have
gathered information-will be car
ried right out to the farmer on his
farm. 1t has been found that neith-
er the publication of bulletins nor
the work of the farmers Institutes
reaches quite the right spot. Per-
sonal touch and contact is required.
An expert farm demonstration agent
to every rural county, and as many
more of them as county needs may
indicate, is the ultimate aspiration.
Under the leadership of the late
DR.. Seaman A. Knapp, the real be-
ginnings of this work were under
taken, and the greatest success was
met in the South. Indeed, thus far
the South has been vastly the most
appreciative follower of the depart
ment of agriculture's program for
improvement of farming. Perhaps
agriculture in the West has been so
firmly established and prosperous
that it has been bit lofty in its at
titude toward "book farming while
the South has been willing to recog-
nize frankly that it needs to learn
much. At any rate the South has
absorbed more than it's share of the
benefits of department activities.
There is no section that cannot
greatly benefit by adopting the
South's attitude of open-min dedness
on these subjects. Especially is this
true of the region east of the Allie
ghanies and north of the Potomac;
the country where, despite proXim-
| ity to the best markets and surest
demand, agriculture has made the
poorest showing in the last half CEN
tury. The Lever program offers
more to this section, if the people
will but recognize it's possibilities
for them, than to any other.-Edi-
torial in Washington Times.
S1 IN v1ar