The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1914-04-03
COUNTY ADVISORS
ON AGRICULTURE
Are Coming INFO vogue--M
Lean Co., ILL.,, Pays Salary
of S6.00U,

Lean Co., ILL.,, Pays Salary
of $1,000.
Mclean County, Illinois, last year
produced over twelve million dollars
of farm products, ranking second, af-
ter Los Angeles county, Cal, in total
value of farm yields, among the coun-
ties of the union. Mclean County's
total is nearly one-quarter of the to-
tai production of all of Florida, and
Florida is Dragging good deal about
being an agricultural state.
Mclean county is doing pretty well
as an agricultural community, but
the farmers think they need advice
about doing better, and accordingly
have employed Prof. Holden, the not
ed Iowa corn expert, at salary OF
$4,000 a year to give them needed
instructions about their business of
farming" There are none so wise
that they cannot be given additional
knowledge.
Kansas, once considered a desert,
has farm property by the census Of
1910 valued at $39,000,000. And Kan
sas farmers like those of Illinois and
Iowa, and other prosperous states
are engaging agricultural experts
and advisors. Florida is larger
state than Illinois and was doing
something in an agricultural way
which now includes Illinois was on
when the region which now in
cludes Illinois was on the map as a
part of the ''Great American Des.
ert." The census Of 1910 places
the total value Of all farm property
in Florida at $142,000,000, while
Illinois was rated a three hilliof
r1ne hundred and five million dollars
and Illinois farmers are employing
experts to help them to increase
production and values.
Several counties in Florida are gat,
ting in the procession Of progress BY
enga ging men we'll versed IN Earn
work to go out and assist tho3t
who do not know everything a5ou
farming. The experts do not claim
to know everything, but they know
more than those who do not know as
as much. These farms experts are
always glad to get information from
farmers who may know more thai
they do, and the experts impart it tt
those who know less.
| Congress sees the need of bettel
farming and is cheerfully appropri
ating money to improve agri ,uitura
methods, and it is thought that thi!
is possible through advisors and dem
onstrators, just as manufacturers sent
out experts to explain their goods
Congress does not want to do it al
and asks counties to share in tht
expense. Congress gives $675 to any
county willing to give enough add
tlonal to employ man.
Putnam county is certainly not ad
vanced so far in improved farmin!
:, thods as to reject this offer.
Incidental to this subject allow II
to reproduce letter from Mr. F. }
H. Won Enpelken, an Eat Palatki
farmer, to Sc e.Ietary FoisJn Of tn
I ciatka boarl of trade The lette
is as follows:
"Referring to our recent converse
ton on the subject Of the propose
being made to our county, that
raise the necessary funds, $500, | be
lieve, to enable it to employ an ev
pert agricultural supervisor
"You stated, believe, that thl
proposition is not meeting with muc
favor in spite of the fact that tn
Government is prepared to donate t
Putnam county a like sum, $500
which would enable US to have avail
able the services of an agriculture
advisor the year around.
81 wish it might be possible to de
wise some means for bringing hom
to our people suddenly and forcibly
the real importance of progresslv
movement of this kind. The olde
agricultural sections of the countr
are losing little time in providin
their farmers with such expert ad
vice; and if it is a good investmen
For them, how much more will it b
i. for us with our agricultural effort
;ust making beginning. Wher
farming has been established for
generation or more, experience dl(
tates to the farmers much that is t
their advantage; ;NSons learn from tn
fathers and newcomers profit frol
the experience of those who hav
grown up in the section. Our Put
nam county farmers have no sue
aids. Our farming is done blindly,
a measure, and our progress, edscs
tionally, is achieved generally throug
; the medium of failures of one kin
or another-failures which annual
cost the county far more in loss {
revenue to its farmers than is invol7
ed in the outlay necessary for an e.
pert by whose counsel many sue
failures and bitter experiences couI
be avoided.
Furthermore, it is our ambition
make Putnam county rank high in tt
State as an agricultural county. I
accomplish this we must have an i
= fux of settlers on our lands. Tn
being so, can we afford to have ol
t neighboring counties of Alachu
: Marion and Duval use our neglect
Z, weapon against us by pointing O.
2 to the newcomers that they are pr
. viding expert advice to enable hi
= to undertake his new work more i
1 telligently and with greater ass
n RANGES of success?"