Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-12-31
BY PALMER r. EDGERTON,

{ tNN'N.sN ASls1 NV NouANN Ak ~ VA VI q =
| league has been Of a different ma
ture from the first. and different
also from what il would have
been but for the unavoidable
emergency work which las aiken
a considerable amount Of time and
effort. While the amount of per
sonal work done with the individ-
ual is decidedly less than las
year, the group work is CORES
pOndinEly more. and certainly Of
/ greater benefit. from the stand -
point of stimulating the county
agriculture. The organization
scheme of the farm bureau in this
county has not been changed from
last year. the township still being
, the local unit and each township
represented by director This
type Of organization IS somewhat
faulty because the unit is 90 large
TO be used for group work.
We are now working On a series
Of projects for next season and
these projects Will be handled by
organized communities in each
! township, rather than the township
as a whole The farther we get
into county agent and farm bureau
work. the more apparent becomes
the need OF close cOOperat ion be
tween the advisor and his members
looking toward the developing O.
local leadership. The movement
should not be One-man affair. but
rather the united and CoOrdinated
effort of officers. directors. mem
bers and county agent. With this
idea in mind We are laying our
plans for the coming season.
Personal Work.
It is somewhat unfortunate that
the demand on our time fJT emery
encv work this season has been so
great that we have been unable TO
do our full quota of farm visiting
A total OF lS5 farm visits have
been made On $50 different farms,
which is somewhat less than one
half of the farm membership. Tho
farm visit to be OF any great value
should be asked for by a member
desiring information on some o.
his farm problems. When this is
not the case. and the county ad-
wiser comes onto a members farm
unannourced and unlimited. hi
visit usually amounts TO nothing
more than a social cali, which
while possessing its advantages
does not represent the most to be
desired in farm visiting.
There have been a total Of 2.075
Office consultations during the year
on matters relating to farming or
kindred subjects. This is a sub
stantial increase over last year and
considering the fact that our coun-
" seat is not a so called farmers
town" is | believe q fair showing. /
No branch Offices have been es- .
tablished. TWO thousand sixty-fye /,
personal letters have been written /
and considerable Office time has /
been spent in helping both mem F.
bers and non-members to fill out F.
income tax reports, missionaries. .
etc. This service seemingly has .
met with favor and has furnished .
good argument for the value of a
farmers organization with a cen
trai office
Group Work.
II our plans mateTialize this
group work. with demonstrations
Will be the feature of our coming
seasons efforts. I am convinced .
that if the gospel Of better farm /
ing is 10 make converts. il mustT
make its appeal through the eve
People are still largely from Mis-
souri, and have to be shown, con
WINGED or, as the statesmen say,
sold on the ideas Of improved
methods Of farming Here is where
the demonstration and group meet
ing serve their best purpose.
Two farm tours were held in
October, attended by about sixty
people. This was a very poor
showing in numbers but The acute
labor shortage accounts for the at
tendance. Those who went on
these trips expressed the creates
and felt generously re-
paid for the time spent. Represen-
Jatiye farms were visited in each
end Of the county. One short
course and farmers institute was
held in the county. The county
agent had a place on the program
and assisted the local committees
wherever possible.
A livestock shipping association
comprising five townships has beeI
u S@HlLeu III Ine upper end OF the
county The management consists
Of a board Of nine directors ana
i've managers. Shipping from FIVE
different points is contemplated I'M
Ter the one parent organization.
The ease with which this associa,
ion was formed is evidence that
he farmer is coming to think in
erms Of the whole rather than in
and upon this spirit
'eal organized agriculture can be
quilt
Publicity.
The tTi-city press has from the
tart been very generous Of space v.
or giving publicity TO the work Of
he farm bureau The monthly bull
etin. however, is depended upon
argely in getting direct informa-
ion 70 the members ana written
IS it is in a personal way has
,een satisfactory means of keep +,
ng in touch with the membership. (,
'robabIy the greatest publicity tho ,
arm bureau has received so far ,
vas through two fair exhibits ,