Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1915-02-05
DOES TAZEWELL COUNTY NEED
A DEMONSTRATORS?
What is a Demonstration ?"

1t depends upon who he is, what he
is, and what he proposes TO do. With
out going into lengthy details, he is Il
man sent out by the Agricultural De-
partment to show farmers who may
need instruction, how to grow larger
crops, build up the fertility of the land
feed stock to the best advantage. etc.
This, We believe, covers the ground as
to his purpose and business. Does the
county need him? Some of our farm
ers and graziers, perhaps, 90 not need
to be told how. They have succeeded
and are satisfied. They are going
ahead in the old way for the most
part, and making money. They don't
stop to discuss the new methods,
and do not now care to make chang
es. Eliminate the class who are will
ing to let well enough alone" does
the county need Demonstration
There would seem to be but one an
swer to the question.
Hundreds of good farmers in this
county know that they are not getting
such returns from their labor and in
vestment as they should have. They
run up against propositions and cond,-
tions every day that they don't know
how to handle. They know that sorAe
farmers are making 100-acre fields Of
corn while they are making fourth
of it. Their clover wont grow. Their
wheat fails to yield. They ar, drag
ging along and after years of expert
ment and costly failures they are as
far at sea as ever. Now, what would
help this class of struggling farmers
most would be to be able to call in
some one who could place his finger
on the trouble and suggest a remedy.
The expert demonstration is supposed
to be able to do this. His business
is to administer to diseased and
weak soils, as n physician does for
the body, we call the one when we
need his services, why not the other?
Russell county, Smythe and Washing
ton counties, adjoining Tazewcl and
very much like Tazewell in every way
and large number of counties East
of the Blue Ridge, have found experts,
who are doing splendid work. If
these counties need and can use such
an officer to advantage, may not Taze.
well, also?.
A demonstration is an expert in
his line. He has made study of
farm problems under expert teachers
and theories have been tried out and
put into practice, and he is able to
speak with authority. On growing the
legumes, grasses, on fertilizer and
soil building, how to get the most
from the land and still not impoverish
it, on these and other questions of ag-
ricultural efficiency, his services are
invaluable to any community. In a
nutshell, the demonstration brings the
teachings of the agricultural college
to the door of every man in the coun-
ty whose door is open to him. He
passes by, of course, closed doors.
Under farm demonstration corn
clubs among the boys and men, would
spring up. A year of such work would
put the county years ahead.
AS to cost it is insignificant. The
U. S. government pays one-third the
State pays one-third, the county one
third, salary of an expert. A $1,000
man would cost the great county of
Tazewell $400,the price of about three
good steers or two good horses. BY
making application at once it will be
possible to get man to begin with
this springs crops. 1t is up to the
Board of SunerviSorc