The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-02-01
DEMONSTRATION
is DEMONSTRATED
District and County Agents As
sembled at Blacksburg for
Conference and Work.
POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE AIDS
Review OF Good Work Being
Done and Yet to Be
Done.
POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE AIDS
BY j. C. HUNTER.

BlaclSsburg, Va. January 3l.--I
write from this place, where the gem
eral meeting Of the farm demonstration
agents is being held in the buildings
of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute,
because l cannot keep my peace.
The work being done for and by the
demonstration agents should be better
known throughout the State. 1t is OF
immense Importance to the whole Com
monwealth. striking and working. at
the very Foundation OF all industrial
activity, the very backbone OF the
country.
The demonstration work as now
mapped out for 1914 will be more far
reaching and effectual in good results
than was ever conceived by even the
fertile brain of that great, far-seeing,
big-hearted man who founded it. Dr.
5. a. Knapp, who died working for his
cherished scheme to help the farmers
OF tho Southern States. DR.. Knapp
left an able son, Hon. Bradford Knapp,
and he has his corps of skilled assist
ants at the Department of Agriculture;
his field and State and district agents.
as field officers and his army OF demon
stration agents. who might be called
the men behind the guns"
should like to give some idea OF
the sort of men these demonstration
agents are-what they are all here for
at this time; what their prospects and
their hopes.
The demonstration agents are an as
semBly OF intelligent. earnest, bust
ness-lke mon, many OF them univer-
sity men, who all have attended some
agricultural college and nearly every
one is the owner OF farm which he
has made successful. Carefully chosen
as the best men in their separate coun-
Ties, their duty is to advise the farm
ers, their wives boys and girls, on
the best and latest methods OF scien-
tihc husbandry, including land I'M
provement, or upbuilding, by the
quickest and most economical method.
They must instruct regarding ferti-
lzers, their intelligent application, etc.
stock breeding and stock raising:
dairying. horticulture. good roads.
poultry. farmers clubs, boys clubs.
girls canning and poultry clubs. Ev-
cry subject connected with rural life
that might help the farmer and re-
dound to his comfort, health, prospect
t. and happiness comes under the juris-
diction Of the demonstration agent.
These men. coming in contact with
nearly every farmer in the fifty or
more counties that have agents IN the
tinually growing stronger--of these
farmers. can and will exert an intlu-
ence for good that will be incalculable.
1t is we'll they are men OF high char
acter. good sense and broad outlook,
and have State leaders like r. O.
Sandy and President Eggleston, ana
Shackleford, Farrar and Moore. dis
trict agents. for very soon this demon
stration organization will represent an
element of power throughout tho state
that will have TO be reckoncd with
when they have the great majority OF
the farmers in more perfect FORM of
organization.
Doings nj Blacksburs.
This, the last week Of farmers short
course. called agents week, is the most
interesting Of all the sessions
There have been addresses by r. o.
Sandy, the state chief. President Egg
lesion, of the institute; Jesse NJ. Jones.
representative of the Department OF
Fletcher. OF the college Niessrs
shackleford. Farrar and Moore,
and many others. y day or
two are given UP 60 tho agents in which
to tell OF their work-what each man
has done and how he did it; sum
mary Of his seasons accomplishment
told I'm condensed form. Some of these
experiences have been exceedingly in.
teresting and instructive. coming as
they do from so many counties. in each
of which conditions are diverse, and
all the information fresh and new
These men are 20 be congratulated
upon the easy. fluent. often very humor-
Gus. manner in which they have eX-
pressed themselves. all contributing
to make the meetings very attractive
and we'll attended.
1t also emphasizes the great amount
OF new work each man has accom-
plished in his county during the sea-
son. wish there was space and Il
had the power to transmit in the sane
language some of the anecdotes told
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