Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1916-08-24
Agricultural Extension
Work Tremendous
Factor In Georgia
Forty Thousand People Are
Cooperating
J. PHIL Campbell, Director Exten-

tension work. Georgia has the largest
enrolment in Boys Corn Clubs, the
largest number of farmers, farmers
wives, farm boys and girls organized
into agricultural work and the best pig
club results of any state.
The extension work of the Georgia
State College of Agriculture was in
augurated in 1908, and has grown until
there are now Is field specialists, "a
district and county farm agents and
40 agents in home economics. These
and other agricultural workers at the
College of Agriculture comprise a
force OF 200 people working as a unit
to carry out definite program of agri-
cultural Improvement in Georgia.
The annual report of the Director
of Extension Service of the College of
Agriculture has just been completed,
which reveals many interesting figures
as to the work done by this force dur
ing the year ending June 80, 1916.
The extension workers are the bear
ers of disable information taken from
the storehouse of agricultural knowl-
edge represented by the College of Ag-
riculture. No more popular move
ment has been fostered by legislation
in recent years than this of carrying
out information to the farmers. A
schedule of appropriations proposed by
the Smith-Lever bill makes possible
sums of money with which the colos-
sal enterprise may be undertaken.
That Georgia is getting its moneys
worth in service rendered and wealth
and happiness created, can be judged
from the results which the reports
show.
10000 People Cooperating
The annual report of extension work
shows that 1900 rural people of Geor
gia were enrolled and had done def
mite work in advanced lines of agri-
culture during the year. OF this num-
Der farmers and farmers wives who are
enlisted as demonstrators in home eco
nomic work constitute $1,000, the re-
mainder being members of boys and
girls clubs.
County Agents In Farm Demonstration
Work
The county agents in farm demon
stration work have shown that farm
ers who have followed methods which
they have recommended have more
than doubled the yield of corn over
the average of the state. The same
is true of oats, while large increases
are revealed with cotton, wheat, etc.
These agents have started alfalfa
fields all over the state. They have
introduced clovers, vetch, cowpeas,
velvet beans, soy beans and other soil
building crops where they had never
been grown before. Purebred live
stock has been brought in, more than
$4,000 hogs have been inoculated for
cholera by these agents during the
year, 222 silos have been constructed
by them, waterworxs, light plants have
been installed and vast amount of
other helpful service rendered which
is more fully shown in the summaries
given further on.
Home Economic Agents Work
Georgia now has two supervising
and As county agents in home econom-
les. The Home Economic Agents
have charge of Girls Canning Clubs,
home demonstration work in home
economics and poultry club work. Ac-
cording to their reports these agents
were instrumental in enrolling 1888
girls in canning clubs, of which num-
Der 1,400 completed their reports,
which show that they canned 1868
46S pounds of tomatoes which they
grew on their one tenth-acre tracts,
a product worth $29,58S.49. The club
members also put up $3.50 jars of
blackberry jam, 1900 jars of fig pre-
serves, 1888 bottles of catsup and
fruit juice. The work done in poul-
try clubs is revealed in reports of the
clubs.
In home demonstration work these
women agents had built and introduc-
ed many labor saving devices and con-
veniences. Special effort was made
during the year to introduce one or
two conveniences andsthese were fire.
less cookers and iceless refrigerators.
About 500 fireless cookers were made
and about ITS iceless refrigerators.
Over 500 homemade fly traps were
made, rs homemade water works
were installed. In all 1928 women en-
rolled as demonstrators in home eco
Monies. The county agents visited
S,419 homes, held 3,082 meetings that
were attended by 85,077 people. They
distributed 14,938 bulletins and 1864
letters were sent out.
10000 Boys In Clubs
Nearly 10000 Georgia boys belong
to agricultural clubs in Georgia, in
Guiding the Boys Corn Clubs, the
Boys Pig Clubs, the Boys Four Crop
Clubs and similar organizations.
Georgia's average yield of corn per
acre has increased nearly five bush
els to the acre since the Boys Corn
Clubs were organized in Georgia and
to these clubs the increase is largely
attributed. The greatest yield ever,
made in Georgia was that of Ben
Leath in Walker county, 1911. His
record is 214 bushels to the acre.