The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1914-11-20
WHAT THE CANNING CLUBS ARE
DOING
More Than Million Cans Put Up BY
The Members

Numerous letters have recently
been received at the department
from farm women from different parts
of the country which indicates that
they are under the impression that
the funds appropriated by Congress
for extension work in the states un-
der the Smith-Lever Act can be dis
tributed to individuals to aid them
in improving home conditions, edu-
eating their children, etc.
This is the sad mistake The Smith
Lever funds are given to the state
agricultural colleges to enable them
to employ men and women as coun-
ty agents and experts who will move
about among the farming people,
demonstrate good methods of agricul-
ture and home economics, cooperate
with them in studying their farm and
home problems, and assist them in
the adoption of better methods on
their farms or in their homes.
Already many of the colleges have
appointed women as extension ex-
perts in home economics, and others
are planning to do so. In nearly all
the southern states women county
agents are already at work in con-
Meeting with the demonstration work
carried on by the agricultural colleges
and the United States Department of
Agriculture.
These agents will enroll women in
home demonstration work and will
continue to conduct girls clubs
They will have the women demon
strate the preparation and use of
products from canning clubs, poul-
try clubs, pig clubs, and the winter
garden. Accompanying the use of
the club products, the women on the
farms will be shown how to make or
secure labor-saving devices and con-
veniences. They will also be encour-
aged by the county agents to find
and extend to others the best meth
DDS of work and conveniences already
discovered and in use in their COM
munities.
Instructions will be furnished by
means of demonstrations, visits from
the county agents, circulars, letters,
and bulletins from the state agricul-
tural colleges and the United States
of Agriculture.
This is the logical development of
the girls demonstration work which
began with the canning clubs in 1910,
when four counties in two states
were organized. 1t has grown to an
of more than 100000
girls, under the supervision of nearly
400 women agents. The results of
1913 show that in the canning clubs
of the southern states the 1902 girls
who sent in reports, canned 1,032,1 lis
cans of tomatoes and 522,147 cans of
other product, with total value of
80,420.O5. They have also develop
ed to a considerable extent special
products of the southern fruits and
vegetables. Poultry clubs have fol-
lowed the work in canning and gar
dening and there are now 5000 poul-
try club members. Bread clubs have
been organized experimentally in
few counties and some home improve
ment work has been done. This fall
will see winter gardening extensive
ly carried on by club members. In
all of these activities the adult wo-
men on the farms have given active
help. Frequently they have been en-
rolled to receive the instruction and
have attended meetings and demon
STATIONS. AS co-operators they have
eagerly followed instructions of the
country woman agents and have urg-
ed that special work be organized
for them.
In the northern and western states
the principal work has thus far been
done by home economics experts con-
nected with the agricultural colleges,
but beginning of the canning club
work for the girls has been made.
the number of home economics ex-
perts who are doing work among the
farm women is being rapidly increas-
ed. 1t is hoped that before long there
will be women agents in every coun-
ty of the United States.
To avail themselves of the aid Of
fered by the extension of organiza-
tions in the several states the farm
women should, if possible, form local
clubs and then communicate with the
county agent, whether man or woman,
or with the state agricultural col
lege. In this way the club will often
De able to secure a visit from the