The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1917-01-12
EVERY PHASE OF
WORK DISCUSSED
Although Essentially HUI
man, Must Be Proficient
In Eleven Subjects

In view of the interest which has
been manifested in Knox county over
a county agricultural agent, the follow
ing article, written by f. M. Lutts of
the Ohio Agricultural Experiment Sta
tion for the Wooster Daily News, is re-
produced:
have been asked the question
many times. as to what an agent is ex-
pected to do, what are his supposed
duties? / can think of no better way
Of expressing what the general public
will think the duties of the county
agent are than to tell what find the
public think demonstrator for the
Ohio experiment station ought to know
and If he is not prepared to give the
desired information he isn't well post
ed about the affairs of the institution
which he represents.
AS A 5oTANlsT
AS botanist am supposed to iden-
tify at glance each of the 1856 weeds
common to Ohio and to give methods
OF eradication or control; to diagnose
from a meagre description all the dis
eases TO which cultivated plants, trees
and shrubs are heir to and to know
how to prevent and cure them.
AS AN ENToMoLoelsT
AS an entomologist | am supposed to
know the life history of every insect
I that burrows in the earth, that crawls
upon it's surface or flies through the
troy II If II is detrimental to mankind
and to propagate and protect it II it is
beneficial. ] am supposed to be famil-
lar enough with economic zoology to
know all animals and birds that are
detrimental to Ohio agriculture and to
know how to eXtermnate them and
TO protect crops from their ravages
AS A HoRTICULTuRIsT
AZ horticuturlst am supposed
TO be able to identify any one of the
hundreds of varieties of apples; to
describe every one of the 100 kinds of
peaches growing in the station variety
orchard; to know all the standard
kinds of pears, plums, cherries, grapes,
rAspberries, blaGkberries, gooseberries
ouTTants and strawberries, besides Il
few hundred novelties. am supposed
10 know how to select, plant, cultivate,
mulch, fertilize. prune, thin, spray,
pick, pack and market all the differ
ent kinds of tree vine and bush fruits.
AS AN oLERlcULTURlST
As an olericulturist am supposed
TO know the 400 local names OF pota-
toes common to Ohio farms; to know
every vegetable found in the seed
mems catalogues, how to grow II and
be familiar with it's culinary value and
market requirements and to know all
about seed, soil and plant treatment
for greenhouses,
. AS A DAlRYMAN
As a dairyman | am supposed to
know all about the different breeds
which they are judged; to know about
silos and ensilage, stables and stan
ohions, roughage and concentrate
feeds. carbohydrates and proteids and
feeding, how to test cows, how to test
milk and cream; TO know the chemical
analysis OF all milk products and. last
bat not least how to make 1900
pound COW produce three cent milk al
profit
AS A HUSBANpRYMAN
As an animal husbandryman | an
dRrd of all breeds OF horses. cattle
hogs. sheep. chickens and billy goats
10 know all the diseases to which
they are subject and remedy; tC
know how to house breed, feed, fatteI
and market all OF them and to know
the market requirements and how h
prepare, pack and ship all animal pro
ducts.
AS A CHEMIST
As q chemist am supposed to knoN
how TO anaIyze soils for fertilizer re
Iuirements and from a description tel
a farmer what his soil needs to gro'
a maximum crop; to know the analyst
Of lime, limestone and lime by-product
and how much Of either soil needs {