The Kadoka press and Kadoka reporter. [volume] (Kadoka, S.D.) 1910-1923, 1915-04-30
Do We Want A
County Agent


of the federal and state law where
by they can secure the services of
an expert farmer if they so desire.
The Press would indeed be glad to
hear from any of the farmers
throughout the county in regard to
this question and for the informa-
tion of the public we publish the
following article from DR.. A. n.
Hume of the Brookings College de-
fining the County Agent and what
he can accomplish:
By DR.. A. n. Hume, Agronomist
and State Leader, S. ID. State Col
lege.
This is written to define, if possible
i'm very few words, what should be
the relation of county agricultural
agent to his work.
The county agent is in large meas
ure secretary of rural affairs. Very
largely he is the secretary of the
Farmers Commercial Club. 1t is his
function, not so much to direct, as to
promote the several phases of the up
lift of country life. He should discern
what phases of rural activities among
many will be most profitably engaged
in by his community, as unit. When
he has decided upon these lines clear
" in his own mind he should be man
who can propose such evidently sem
sible lines of community action that
the people will collectively agree with
him and act upon his uggestions.
Evidently, the county agent must
be man of large attributes. Not a
specialist himself, he must neverthe-
less have such training as will give
him a general knowledge of the find
ings of agricultural research and he
must know enough to accurately in
terpret the results of research for his
people. He must help them interpret
lllb vi tCotdICh lSl
In the present state of development,
the so-called county agent movement
is generalized rather than specialized.
He may, therefore, attempt to many
things that it il difficult to enumerate
a list. One of the dangers is that he
will attempt too many things. In
each of the several counties of any
state. the county agent is the repre-
sentative of the State College of Ag
riculture and Experiment Station.
AS such, he must usually be a man of
many parts, but nevertheless within
his own field of work. When he un-
dertakes subject represented by any
department of his State College and
Experiment Station, while he works
on that subject he is representative
of that department of his state insti-
tuition. Such an intimate relation ex-
lists of the benefit of the people of the
state and the several communities.
Representing, as he does, the vari-
Gus department of his institution in
his state, he naturally undertakes
many things that fall within depart
mental headings. The following are
given solely as an illustration:
AS a member of the Animal Hus-
bandry Department, he may CD en-
courage the organization of associa-
tions for the purchase of pnre bred
..1. 1t,-xr
keepers as possible to use. the trap
nests; {3) give instruction concern
ing vaccination and other precautions
against hog cholera
AS Member of the Dairy Depart
ment, CD induce people to hang up
milk sheets in dairy barns and make
separate weighings of milk; (2) pre-
sent the Importance of much air and
light in relation to clean dairy pro-
ducts.
AS Member of the Agronomy De-
partment, (D encourage the use of
seed cleaning machinery; (2) demon
strate the advantage of pure seed va
rieties; 90 encourage the growing of
legumes.
As Member of the Department of
Horticulture, a. urge people to plant
trees and shrubs; (2) suggest hardy
varieties of plums ano other fruits.
Ii is fundamental principle that
the county agent must undertake
three or four definite lines of activity
along which his community most
needs TO make progress. He must
nor undertake too many lines, but he
must persist in the lines he does un-
dertake. His ADVICE TO his clients
must be prompt, but it must be safe
and reliable. He must know some
things. When he does not know, he
must say so and try to find out.
Fundamentals for county agents
are: az they must undertake those
definite things which can be accom-
plished in their communities; (2)
they themselves must be educated
enough to recognize what things are
fundamental; (S) they must be men
of naturally large ability and large
: sympathy; az they must be organiz-
(. ed in such way that they t,an de-
perd upon their organisation for the
support of their work.