The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1917-10-19
WHAT THE EXTENSION
SERVICE IS DOING FUR
THE IDAHO FARMERS
by H. w. Hochbaum, County Agent
Leader.)

10y II. w. HOcnDaum, county Agent
Leader.)
The extension work of the Uniyer.
sity of Idaho, carried on in co-opera.
ton with the United States depart
ment of agriculture, demonstrates
that the service of this new institu.
tion is now available to every com.
munity Of the state, no matter how
far removed. From the Panhandle
to the Yellowstone, the extension
service now helps many thousands to
solve problems that are before them
in building homes, industry and a
great commonwealth.
The extension service is all the
more valuable because everything Is
still so new. Settlers come from
every state and from every walk OF
life. They are pioneers in every
sense, and the problems of pioneer
ing are as great as ever. Sagebrush
4 and forest must be conquered,
streams harnessed, nature controll-
ed before the new farmer, the
builder of cities, is assured of COM
petence, living from the soil. In
building a home, in tilling the soil.
in fighting new pests and diseases,
the extension service lends most
valuable help. In many cases it has
helped to more quickly make sat
isfied settlers and happy, thriving
communities.
The extension workers bring peo-
pie together and induce them to be-
come interested in community prob
lens. Thru movable schools, farm
ers' institutes and other meetings,
practical instruction in terms of local
needs is given. Discussion is invit-
ed and people are induced to outline
their needs. Bulletins and circular
the great fundamentals to the peo-
pie, but the one great effort of ex-
tension workers is to adopt teach
ings to local needs, to make farm
science spell farm sense. In this,
reliance is placed ON demonstrations
on farms and in homes, a practical
follow-up of methods and practices.
Argument is thus clinched by ex-
ample.
The great center of extension work
is the county agricultural agent and
the county farm bureau. These
search out local needs, stimulate
thought, and give responsibility in
solving rural problems. The farm
bureau draws on the extension
division for specialists, for informa-
tion and for demonstration of meth
DDS. Specialists and county agents
in turn have the help of trained in
vestigators of the university and
federal government.
In Idaho we now have fifteen
county agents and seven specialists.
The latter help with live stock
problems, potato and truck growing,
general horticulture, seed standard
ization, boys and girls club work,
home making and rural organization.
Federal specialists have in addition
also helped with problems of drain
age, rodent pests eradication, insect
control, soil improvement, crop man
agement, control of hog cholera and
other diseases of stock, crop diseases
and the like.
The federal government has made
a great appeal for patriotic service in
production and conservation. This
has been carried to every part of
Idaho by the university, and every
farmer has responded splendidly.
But new problems came as result
and the extension workers have
helped greatly in solving these.
Much has been done to show best
methods of producing more and
wasting less. The labor shortage,
the shortage of sacks and storage
facilities, the problems of distribu-
tion and marketing, the shortage of
feed and seed and many other new
problems have received attention.
Very definite attempts are made to
follow up lecture or bulletins by
practical help and demonstrations on
farms and in the home. that people
may see as well as hear, may have
example as well as argument. Thus,
more than 100 potato growers who
carried on demonstrations in control
of disease and improvement of the
potato, increased their yields from
10 to SO sacks per acre. They have
also laid the foundation for a most
profitable growing business-the
growing of improved clean seed.
Many thousands have been saved
the stockmen thru demonstration
and control of diseases; while dem
onstrations of feeding methods have
greatly increased profits. Extension
workers and county agents have
shown the way to profitable dairying
and have added greatly in putting
this industry of industries on an en-
during basis. Hundreds of silos
now stand where none existed two
years ago. Real blue grass and fine
alfalfa now assure dependable in
comes by the dairy route, because
of the service of dairy specialists and
county agents.