West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1916-02-10
Permanent System of Practical Ed
oeation for Farming People
Conducted According to Well
Matured Plans by Publie Officers
for Benefit of all the People

Although IL has been but four years
since the first organized agricultural
extension work was started at West
virginia university. the work has made
Tremendous growth. Two acts or the
state Legislature, tho Federal Smith
Lever act, the cooperation OF the
United States department OF agricul-
ture, and the free use of the mails for
practically all extension work In ag-
riculture and home economies, has not
only enlarged but given permanoncy
to this work in West Virginia.
Through the above plan which In
cludes tho cooperation OF county ag-
ricultural societies. county courts aud
boards of education, the following per-
sons are engaged In tho work. 2S
county agricultural agents, IL coun-
ty agents for girls garden and can
ming clubs, % district club agents
| district superintendent of schools
who give part time to club work., Q
state or district supervisors or diroc-
tors, agricultural specialists,
clerks and stenographers, and 2 spec
ial institute instructors (employed for
institute season..
I DR.. a. c. True OF the United States
department of agriculture, Washing
ton, ID. c., who represents the national
government i'm the cooperative exten-
sion work of the states, says that "ag-
ricultural extension work is n per-
manent system OF practical education
for farming people. outside OF schools,
conducted according TO well matured
plans, by public officers, for the bene-f'
NJ OF all the people"
In accordance with tho above def
milton, the extension department of the
university, I'm confornce with the
county organizations, formed plan OF
work for each county and carried to
the farm and the home methods that
have proven successful and profitable
by experiment stations and leading
farmers. Some of last years results
obtained by these plans are as fol-
lows:
l,l94 farmers conducted demonstra-
tions 1873 acres were tile drained, 5,693
acres were treated with lime, 24.78I
acres were treated with phosphorus.
lb,OS5 tons manure were saved by ex-
ira care, 15,4O7 acres winter covor
crops were grown and to be turned
under, 1868 acres were I'm demonstra-
ton crops (average yield of demon
strations were: corn, 54 bu. per a..
potatoes 2l5 bu., alfalfa, SO tons, soy
beans, tons), $40 silos were erected
aand filled for the nrst time, 179 new
barns and poultry houses we're built,
1878 cattle received balanced winter
rations according to methods at the
experiment station, 732 dairy cows
were tested for butter fat and record
kept OF their milk, 437 farmers pledg-
ed to use only pure-bred sires, s32e.-.
2sS value OF increased production Of
farmers who followed demonstration
methods, 5.O34 boys and girls COM
pieted the work Of the corn, poultry.
pig and potato clubs average Yield
OF corn was 1873 bu. per a, at an aver
age cost OF 27.7 per bu.), III girls
completed the garden and canning
club work, 31,112 cans OF vegetables
we're canned by the girls club MEM
bers, $2l,2i6 was the total net profit
on products raised by members of
boys and girls clubs, 1876 community
and county farmers clubs were form
cd lOl boys agricultural clubs were
formed, 66 girls garden and canning
clubs formed, 16 farm women's clubs
formed, 28 county agricultural extern
sion schools we're held, 6 county home
economies extension schools were
held, 90 county and district aericui-
tural and home economies shows were
heid' l,65l boys and girls made sx-
hibits at shows, 2,105 field and com
munity meetings we're held, 324 regu-
lar and independent institutions for
farmers and farmers wives were at
tended by 64135 persons, 1904 farm
ers were visited on their farms. IOss
/ farmers were interviewed by speciai-
lists. 245S club boys were visited at
their contest plat, .566 club girls were
visited at their homes, 600 rural
schools we're visited and methods Of
teaching agriculture and home eco
nomics discussed. $4,000 persons re-
ceived publications from the depart
ment, 5000 persons studied the educa-
ionai exhibits sent out BY the depart
ment, SO5 persons studied agriculture
and homo economies by mail, % clubs
OF farmers studied the agricultural
reading circle courses. several thou
sand letters asking for general infor-
nation were answered by members Of
the department.
It requires a report Of many pages
I'm length, TO list in detail eli the ac-
tivities Of the various specialists Of
the extension department but the
above extracts are sufficient to indi-
cate the wide scope OF the work ana
the valuable assistance being rem
dered to the farmers Of the state.
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