The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1914-01-09
HELP FARM WOMAN
Housewives Of Progressive Farm
ers Asked for Views.
MANY seek Means Of Increasing Per.
sonal Income and Better Means Of
marketing Produce = Other
Farm Topica Of Interest.
tPrepared by the United States De-
partment Of Agriculture.)


10 the housewives of So 900 proeres-
sive farmers in all the counties of
the United States. This letter asked
no questions and left every woman
ree to discuss any need which oc-
CURED to her. She was invited to
take the matter up with her neighbors
and make reply which represented
not merely her personal need but the
recognized need Of the women of her
community. Replies to this letter
have been received in great numbers.
There has not been time for a COM
plete analysis of these letters, but
from those which have been read it
Is evident that women want help in
practically every phase of home man
agement, from the rearing and care of
children to methods of getting the
heavy work, such as washing. done by
cooperative agencies.
Many women seek means Of increas-
ing the precious personal income
which they receive from poultry, but
ter making, or the garden in their
care. Many asked the department to
suggest new handicrafts or gainful
home occupations, and others seek
better means of marketing the pre-
serves, cakes, or fancywork that they
now produce
The oyerwork Of farm women and
their fear of the effect of overwork on
their children is the text of many of
these letters. The difficulty of secur-
ing domestic help, due seemingly to
the fact that daughters of farmers
no longer take positions as home
makers, has added to the farm house
keepers burden.
Many ask the department to prove
to the men that their work is worth
something in dollars and cents. Still
others express realization that their
own lot is hopeless and self-sacrific-
Ingly ask that better things in the
way of education, cheaper school
books, improved schools, lectures, Ii
braries, and museums be provided for
their children. Many request that the
department establish a woman's bu-
reau, issue weekly or other publica-
lions designed for women and dealing
with matters of cooking, clothing
home furnishing, education Of chill
dren and care of the sick.
Cooperation In Soil-Suvey Work.
With the view of making soil sur
veys more valuable to the farmer, q
new basis of cooperation has been es-
tablished by the department of agri
culture with the states through Their
experiment stations, agricultural col
leges, and agricultural bureaus. I'm
der this plan the department will give
precedence in conducting detailed SOL
SURVEYS to those states which cooper
ate with the department in the matter
and which request that such surveys
be made.
During the past year 10 states havt
appropriated money for soil surveys
in cooperation with the department
II the request for soil surveys on th'
pnrt of cooperating states absoros al
the departments funds for such "ork
mn proiects will be undertaken IN non
cooperating states. 1t is oeheVe'
that where the soil surveys are mao
81 the special request of the state as
r,,ulturaI agency and in district
where the state is actively engaged 4
extension work, the state autnorltle
will be willing and able to help IN
farmer to gain the greatest posslOi
benefit from the departments report
and aoil-survey maps.
Farm Demonstration Work. !.
In .he boys demonstration WORK !
the .outh, $50 members OF the ooy'
corn clubs in the various souther
state. produced yields OF over III
bushels of corn to the acre. Tne Wor
Of the canning and poultry ciuD'
through which the girls of the Iari
arc encouraged to preserve in fori
suitable for home use or sale sue
nrodnrts as tomatoes and other Vese
abIss and fruits as can be prontaoi
nroduced for local consumption
many farms has yielded satisIactor
results. o5 y
n the northern states a gooo =
ginning has been made IN tarn G 1S,i
onsi,ation work during the year. IN
work is prosecuted for the most pa
N cooperation with the agricuituI'
colleges through county agents WI
devote their entire time to the stuu
of local agricultural conditions an II
Uaods and act as counselors and a
r,ssrs 10 farmers, ENCOURAGING u
sdontion of improved methods al
who're advisable the introduction
While the organization and esta
nsbment of this work in the nor
ia vast Is too recent to indicate
INV very definite way what may
aSnected to result from it, a summal
~ the work of the agents in the
counties longest established diseios'
that more than $500 farms have oe'
visited and more than 1850 farmer
meetings addressed. with an atten
ancs exceeding 10000. co-operau
work rS has been carried on direct
with nearly a.4oo farmers, many
whom are being encouraged TO seie
and test carefully their SEED corn
Legal Standards for Food.