The Johnson City comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1916-1917, 1916-11-30
DEMONSTRATION
FARM WORK
PROBLEM OF HOW TO MAKE
FARM LIFE MORE AGREEABLE
KEEP PEOPLE ON FARM
FARM DEMONSTRATION WORK
FOR WASHINGTON COUNTY.

The problem of how to make coun-
try life more agreeable and also moro
profitable, how to keep the young peo-
pie on the farm, how to improve the
efficiency of farm methods and to in
crease and diversity production has
steadily become of ever-increasing
Importance.
Nothing has ever been done so much
along these lines as the farm demon
stration work undertaken by the agri-
cultural department some six years
ago. This includes a farm demon
stlator who goes through the coun-
try giving practical advice as to crop
rotation, how to best produce and
other constantly recurring problems.
In this way the accumulated science
and experience of others is brought
to the farmers very door. In addi-
| tion to the farm work proper comes
boys corn clubs, coming clubs for
the girls, domestic economy and SO
on. all tending to the upbulding of
the farm, stimulating production and
generally making country life broad
er and better worth living.
During recent years farming or ag-
ricUliure has been a real profession
! demanding the same care and atten-
ton that is given to any other bus
mess and addition a good mixture Of
rea! science. 1t is not so long ago
that the farmer was looked down upon
and farming scarcely considered as
more than a means of livelihood.
Ambitious youths drfted to the cities
and often the old place went to ruin.
The same condition exists at present
to u large degree in the mountain
districts especially. This certainly
is not a healthy condition of afafirs
and often better success can be
gotten from the farm than in almost
any line tn average man will TAX up.
With an ever-increasing population
tn demands on the earth are con-
stantly increasing. How to Increase
production and still get fair price,
how to bring the farm products to
the door of the ultimate consumer
all these varied problems are now the
serious concern of every government
and almost every city. 1t is not suf
ficient to merely produce-transpor-
tation and distribution-in other
words, marketing, must go hand in
hand with production to attain real
efficiency and bring the farmer the
proper and just returns. These prin-
ciples are well known and generally
recognized. We all understand in
general way the problems of the
farmer, often working alone or with
little or no capital, with scant
know ledge of market conditions and
paying but little attention to world
progress and to changed and ever
changing conditions as they affect
too often is that he goes on tickling
the ground much as did his grand
father and with about the same eff
ficiency or lack of it.
The solution is along the lines of
cooperation. City and country must
be brought into closer relations and
each be made to feel that what af-
The farmr must be mad to feel that
his is a dignified profession, that he
is an important member of society
and an important factor in affairs.
Unfortunately, the tendency of the
average farmer, especially in the
south, is to be too independent and
unwilling to unite with others to
common end. This is essentially sus-
picious and every effort should be
made to secure cooperation and real
effective teamwork.
Many of tn farmers problems he
cannot solve unaided. We must try
to overcome, or assist the farmer to
overcom, the various handicaps under
which he now labors, teach him how
to reach real efficiency as it is meas
urcd in other lines of business, to pro-
due more incom-and in short to
make country life more comfortable
and more agreeable for all concerned.
In considering these matters we must
put Ourselves in the place of the aver
ag country boy or girl. If ambitious
the outlook Is often dreary, he takes
little interest in the farm or in the
various problems to be met and too
often drifts off to the city with its
White Way and alluring sodt foun-
tains. His mind has not been awak
ened to the opportunities that lie all
about him. He needs life, companion
ship and an incentive to work. Thus
started Alright he may be saved TO the
farm and to more useful and hap
pier life than the city affords with its
inevitable competitions that he is not
fitted to met. In tn main, to improve
Continued on page twoJ