The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-02-25
Outline of What Was acc0mp
Iished Last Year
NECESSITY FOR CONTINUANCE
Secretary Morse Appeals to Citizens
for Endorsement at the Coming
March Elections

ton County was the nrst county III
New England to have county agri'
cultural agent. John l.. Sherman has
been at work here since October,
1912 Farming is most important
industry in this county. It repre-
sents an investment of S9,000000 and
working capital of half million
more; It produces annual products
valued a. 1890, 400; it is the direct
occupation Of more than 1000 famil-
les, and supports more than 200 other
families, OF store-keepers, fertilizer,
grain and reed dealers, mil ers and
others dealing primarily with farm
ers.
1t Is therefore not only OF the ut
most Importance TO this County but
an absolute necessity that farming
be brought to the highest state CT eff
fciency and kept there. This is not
a mat OF sentiment. but of dollars
and cents. Now the plain truth Is
that farming has not been as profit
able as It should have been. Nil
lions OF dollars have been lost to the
farmers of this County BY wastefu
methods OF tillage. by lack Of prope.
care Of orchards and pastures. by the
keeping OF inferior dairy COWS, b.
poor business management and Other
causes. Many farmers, II they hao
10 pay themselves the per cent In
terest on their Investment which II
would bring IL loaned out, couldn'
pay themselves as wages what thS
cheapest labor receives. The empIo.
ment Of county agent was move
to save some OF this wasted money
and was move that any other bus
ness involving SO much capital woul,
have made long ago. Our state Com
missioner OF Agriculture. E. S. Brig
ham. speaking at our recent Confer
ence in Dorset, quoted the definition
of successful farming as one eight
science, three -eighths art or app yint
your knowledge. and four-eighthi
business
The man who nrst made that state
ment was the father OF the count,
agent work in the United States
The county agent is to bring know
ledge Of the best farm practices 4
the farmers, help them TO apply tina
knowledge, and organize them for be
ter business. This he has been dc
ing. The United States department
OF agriculture said to this county
Your farm investment. is 100000
1t viii be sound business policy To-
you to support a man to help you
make it pay more; the annual cos
will represent one-fortieth Of one pc,
cent on your fixed capital. OF that
cost we will pay a part"
The proposition was accepted and
the farm agent employed. Last yeai
the towns in the County voted $685..
76 toward this work. the towns of Ar
lington. Bennington, Dorset, Land
grove. Manchester, Peru Sandgate
Searsburg, SALISBURY, Sunderland
and Winhall each voting their pro
portionate share of the $1,000 for the
County. The result was that fol
every 70 cents paid by the tax pay
ers for better farming. the U. S. Gov
eminent paid 81 and the Bennington
County Vermont Improvement associ
alton paid another 81.
In other words. the taxpayers onl,
put up one one-hundred sixtie h o.
one per cent en- their farm invest
ment for this work. The work NOR,
than paid for itself In results last
year. 1t viii pay increasing return.
each year II is continued. This yea
.he same offer is made. if the tas
payers will do their part. Isn't 1
sound business policy and soun,
common sense to do it? The tota
amount asked for is $1,000. appor;ion
ed among the towns according Il
their Grand Lists as follows;