The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1916-02-17

- euG 8fcuk COop<futiNe akcuCJ AoE tuS
solving of local problems and their
publication.
One man can do little toward the
solving of great problems. but by CO.
operating with many men the county
agent can get the ideas, an experience
Of each and by systematic experiments
reach some definite results. As Mr..
Maris pointed out-one man may have
discovered some valuable facts but
they seldom get over the fence that
separates him from his neighbor. The
experiences of several successful far
mers brought out by discussions at the
recent o. A. C. movable school at
Dufur and The DaIles showed that
definite system of organizing and
publishing these valuable ideas would
60 far toward improving conditions in
this county.
In Wasco county there are problems
of fruit pollination. pruning, and
spraying. soil handling to conserve
moisture, improvement of grain varie-
ties. fertility problems. use Of summer
fallow, production of cheap feed, in
PRODUCTION of new plants suitable to
the region, control Of plant and animal
pest, improvement Of breeds Of farm
animals, marketing, and organization
of farming communities. Many of
these problems can be worked out by
cooperative methods between the var
ious farmers and farmers organiza-
tions and the county agent, with the
help of state and national experts.
Some idea of what the county agents
of Oregon are attempting to do will be
gained from the following extract from
the Rural Spirit.
"The activities Of the county agri-
culturists covered a wide range of sub.
jects. as counties in all sections of the
state are carrying on the work.
Cooperative marketing Of farm
products received great deal of
attention. The county agriculturists
have taken the lead jn farming organ.
izations for marketing poultry and
eggs, livestock. potatoes. seed corn
and dairy products. Considerable
progress has been made in the direc-
ton of decreasing costs of production
by better seed selections and improved
methods of handling soils, establish
ment of crop rotations, and so forth.
Organization OF rural communities
along lines important to each has been
successfully accomplished in Crook
county. The existing farmers organ
izations have been greatly strength.
ened and many new ones organized in
several counties.
"Grasshopper, potato beetle and hog
cholera ravages were checked, rabbit
poisoning campaigns conducted with
good success and ravages of pear
blight, scab and other fruit diseases
combatted. Much cooperative demon
stration work with farmers was con-
Quoted with new or improved varieties
of grains and grasses which in a
majority of cases showed increased
yields over those in genearl use. This
was especially true of red clover,
sweet clover, Sudan grass, oats,
wheat, barley, field peas and dry land
alfalfa in cultivated rows. Corn grow
ing contests we're carried on in Marion,
Malheur. Lane. Coos, Tillamook and
Union counties.
Drainage districts have been organ
lied and surveys secured. Several
small drainage and irrigation systems
have been planned. Boys and girls
club work has been carried on in CO.
operation with the state department of
public instruction and the industrial
club department of the o. A. C. exten.
sion service. Several men have been
of great service to the county and
local fairs in rearranging premium
lists and greatly improving the quality
and number of exhibits. New crop
testing and breeders associations
have been organized and those contin-
usd which were stated in 1914. Insti.
tutes and moveable schools have been
held at several different places in each
county. the county agriculturists being
assisted by the specialists of the ex-
tension service Of the Agricultural
College.
"The work as outlined for 1916 will
be combinations Of projects already
under way and the addition Of some
new ones. Advisory committees of
leading farmers and one member of
the county court will be formed in each
county where such committees have
not already been formed. These COM
mittees will meet with the county
agriculturist from time to time to
advise with and aid him in working out
the particular agricultural and rural
social problems Of the county,"
1t will thus be seen that the main
work of the county agent must be car
ried on through projects with some of
the leading farmers of the county and
this work will be used later for demon.
strative purposes of results are valu-
able. 1t would be impossible to reach
all of the 200 or more farms of Wasco
county in any one year and secure def.
mite results. 1t will also be observ-
able that the results Of the work must
at first necessarily be limited but that as
months and years 60 on, it must con-
tinue to grow more useful. The broad
minded individual must see that the
field of agriculture is the broadest field