The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-03-21
EXPERT INCREASES
FARMERS S WEALTH
AS Shown by the Work of One
in a County in State of
Pennsylvania.
IBy G. ". Dudderar.I

Last wear while boosting the board
of trade and the Agricultural Bureau
Of washington, Pa, and Washington
county,.I received a. letter from the
Horticultural Department OF Washing
ton. ID. c. containing iIE part report
of the results of the work of a county
expert; Mr.. A. b. Ross by name in Bed
ford county, Pa.
In Mr.. ROSS report he says, after
supnrnfng up in some detail, the direct
results, chat the efforts of an agrt-l
cultural expert In this district for the
last wear gave an increase value from
agricultural sources of 100000.
The movement on the part OF the
government to assist the farmers In
making their lands more productive
is one which should commend itself
to every farmer as well as to the peo-
pie OF this country generally.
For whatever is of benefit to the
farmer, whatever aids in the Increased
productiveness of the soil, certainly
makes for the general good OF all the
people.
time ago commented editorially on the
tendency to create a class OF farm ex-
perts to be scattered over the country
and given the general oversight of the
agricultural interests of the whole
United States. One of our congress-
men writes, himself lawyer: am
myself no farmer, but what know
about 1t / have gained through con-
verse with the agricultural department
at Washington and the farmers club
He tells us that he has made up his
mind that farming as carried on is
shiftless affair and that thirty bushels
of wheat can just as well be grown TO
an acre as fifteen" He concludes that
at least one-third of the animals fed
by the dairymen need wedding out, be-
cause they do not produce milk In
quantity or quality to pay for their
keep.
Some may ask the question, what
would such man do in this county?
We can answer this in a general way;
such an agent would be man to give
advice, and perhaps more, to give mo-
mentum in the way of adopting new
measures and wedding out the use
less. 1t will be the duty of his SUI
perfntendent to study soils and crops
and animals In the county to which ne
is appointed. He will spend his entire
time in the interest of the improved
farming. He will visit farmers at
their homes, find out If they have any |
pIans. and aid them in formulating I
something definite for improvement I
He will study every phase of farm /
life. indoors and out, helping TO IN
troduce new methods, to secure the
utilization of water power, and help /
ing to make electricity common pow
er in our farm homes. He will study /
market conditions, and means OF trans
portation, making specially OF road
Improvement and Introduction OF tn
best tools. 1t is expected he will be
of decided value in heartening up
man who is discouraged over bad
crops, where they are the result OF
lacking of knowledge. In other words,
he will be an agricultural adviser; and .
If he is skillful in winning the con-
fidence of the people will be of untold
value to the agriculture of this sec
ton. He will try to get rid of super
fuous equipments; see that tools are
not spoiled by exposure, and In other
ways farmers interest go to waste: |
One difficulty on many farms is that
the work is SO planned as to rush for
a brief season, leaving little to be dore
when help Is most easily obtained.
This is the fault of bad planning or
MANAGEMENT as rule.
Let us make this Agricultural Blu
reau an excuse for a get-together
movement of the citizens of Clarks-
burg and Harrison county for the de-
velopment of those interests so vital
to all.