Arizona republican., 1915-11-03
WORK OF FARM ADVISOR
 F0R FIRST SEVEN MONTHS.

The following is the report of County Farm Advisor Armstrong of this county from March 15, to October =
 The biggest problem which the Farm Advisor has to face in Mari copa county is the giving of ade- q'late service to its 5000 farmers. The service which is needed by these farmers takes many forms, and if all the problems were tackled at once a. large corps of agricultural specialists would be required to properly handle them. With one man in the field. therefore. il is necessary that the inst step be to systemize the work Of handling this service. It has been decided that two things are absolute ly essential for the success of this work in Maricopa county. First, the Farm Advisor must work through groups of farmers or farmers or ganizatOns. second. he must con- oentrate on certain projects so that definite results in these various lines may he secured instead of attempting to serve everybody without any defin- ite plan of action. The projects now under way are as follow:
 Organization
 One of the greatest handicapS to successful organization in the county has been the large number of farmers organizations working along their own lines without regard for each other IL is well-known fact that when individuals or organizations are work ing at cross purposes, or without regard for each other. that the high est possible rate of progress is not asahfaV-.aI Advisor in Maricopa county has there fore been to draw all farmers or ganizations together so that a definite plan cf action for the entire Valley may he worked out. IL is very evil dent to those who are experienced with such matters that the general lack of success among the farmers of the Salt River Valley has been due to the lack of any definite plan of action There has been no plan for a type of farming best adapted to ranches of various sizes and to the local conditions. for standardizing the varieties and breeds of crops and livestock in the Valley, for maintain ing the fertility of the soil. for the control of insects. weeds. diseases and other pests. for the grading, packing, shipping and marketing of farm pro- ducts and for the community and county development in general. Such a plan can be secured only through a well centralized and carefully worked out organization which will cover the entire county. In general. the plan is to work with and through the local farmers organizations in every locality of Maricopa county Where organizations already exist it is desired to use them. Where there are no organizations. it is the plan to form some sort of farmers as- sociation- With this idea in mind the Farm Advisor has succeeded in organizing the Maricopa County Farm Improvement Association, the govern ing body of which. the Advisory Council consists of councilmen. onel councilman and alternate councilman representing each organization in the county The Advisory Council meets once a month with the Farm Ad- visor and affords a medium for work ing out plans affecting the agri- cultural welfare of the entire county. and gives the farmers official repre- sentatives to confer with and make recommendations to the University of Arizona College of Agriculture and the T.. $ Department of Agriculture There are now 15 agricultural and commercial organizations in the Ad- Visory Council.
 The Farm Advisor has been re- sponsihle for the formation of nine farmers organizations and has as sisted in reviving at least two others. The form of organization which is being encouraged is known as a farm improvement association and is the standard form of organization which