Norwich bulletin., 1916-11-23
WHAT THE COUNTY
 AGENT MOVEMENT IS.
And What the County Agent Can Do
 for Our Farmers.

The most promising undertaking
 yet attempted in American agriculture
 is the county agent movement. The.
 county agent is an agricultural expert
 employed oy a particular county in
 the state to give practical irst-hand
 help to the farmers of that section.
 At the present time some thirteen
 hundred agents are constantly at work
 in over a thousand counties of the country.
 The county agent movement might very properly be termed a "demobiliza- tion of agricultural experts" For years there was a tendency to con- centrate these men in the bureaus at Washington. at the experiment sta tions, and at the agricultural colleges, a large part of the annual agricultural appropriations being devoted to these activities.
 It is true that Tt these places these men were able to carry on scientific work that could hare been exceedingly helpful to the farmer: but, however that may be, it is an unfortunate fact that matters never worked out that way. Millions of bulletins and other pamphlets containing the results of this work were printed and distrib- fashion, but all to little purpose as | regards their practical helpfulness.' It is estimated that not more than 10 per cent. of the farmers Of the country have been accustomed to make use of such publications.
 The county agent idea is changing all of this. The experts are being demohiized; that is, scattered to the far ends of our country, and the near CT places, too, of course, where they are working in direct contact with the farmers. The bureaus ard experiment stations are still active but henceforth less stress will he laid upon laboratory theory and eXperime ntation as re- gards agriculture, and more upon actual practice upon the farm.
 This revolution in the methods of educational work among the farmers | Is the development mainly of the past decade, the past three years in partic- u1ar showing heavy and steady ex pansien in the mum Der of county 1 agents employed. Three years ago there were about nine hundred county | agents all told at work in the various
 states. A year later the number had grown to over eleven hundred.
 l These men live in the county, usual | iy at the county seat, and their ser vices are availa ale to any person on l call. This resident relationship is l sure to make him cautious in his ad- | vice. If he makes a mistake, the CT TOT stareS him continually in the face. l He can't get away from it. These | county men do not pose as experts | capable of answering every inquiry
 made. If they have not had actual | experience on the questions asked, | they arc so situated in their relation to l the agricultural college and the fed ! eral department of agriculture that l they can get in touch with some l agency which can :siV- the desired aid, | if such is possible. They are there fore resident representatives in agIi- culture, located throughout the state. | on the ground where they can be of | the most use to the man who most
 needs tn ehelp.. Many a farmer will | ask a question personally or over the | telephone who would not sit down and tlaboriously write out letter, sending it to the college at Madison, regarding | some problem that hothers him.
 The county agricultural agent can
 help you stop hog cholera, test your cattle for tuberculosis, show how to disinfect your grains for smut, get ] improved kinds of seed, help you pick out a better sire. test your soil IoI
 acidity, compound 2 spraying mixture organize for any purpose. aid in mar l iseting your surplus crops, develop g
 system of simple farm accounts, show
 you how to build a septic tank for dis posal of house sewage, and numerous other problems that are constantly
 arising in connection with our diversi fled agriculture.
 The annual meeting of the New l London County Improvement league is
 to be held in Norwich Dec 2d, al
 l which time officers and directors vii
 | be chosen to direct the good work be
 ing done for another year, and heal
 from the Hon. Karl s. vrooman, as
 sistant secretary IT. S. department O.
 1 agriculture, of the success of farm >i bureaus in other places