The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1918-02-08

uneNampled progress IN agriculture
and in home making ON the farms of
Oklahoma was made in 1917. as shown
by the annual report OF James A, VIII
son, director of the Extension Division
Of the Agricultural and Mechanical
College at saltwater Not only did
the food production and conservation
campaign make tremendous strides
but it was great year for the i'm
provement Of living conditions on the
farm and especially for the change
from tenantry to home ownership.
The Extension Division has charge
of all the farm and home demonstra
ton work Of the state done under the
Joint direction of the agricultural col
ege and Of the T. S. Department of
Agriculture. The close Of the year
daGs this organization at the top notch
Of efficiency
As a war measure, the United States
Congress made available soon after
the declaration of hOstilities, consid'
cradle sum of money for pushing the
farm demonstration work throughout
the country Through the means OF
this added financial support the EX.
tension Division was enabled TO in
crease its staff of county agents until
it reached the long desired goal Of a
man agent in every county Of the
state. Women agents in the home
! demonstration work We're placed in %
counties. Membership in the Boys
and Girls Clubs was increased to
nearly 10000 and il is expected that
the number will exceed 25,0O0 in 1915
The war brought many new duties
| TO the men and women agents. In
nearly every county Of the state these
workers We're also made members OF
I've county councils Of defense by ap-
! 9ointment of the Governor and they
have labored faithfully in Red Cross
! IA
other features of vital and necessary
,9bors not part of their regular du-
ties as demonstration agents. In the
face of these added duties the records
show undiminished success in the
demonstration work.
Some of the means by which the
Extension Division forces have aided
ir the national crisis aside from their
principal task of food production and
conservation are indicated in the fol-
lowing extShcts from the letter OF
Cransmssal written by Director VIII
son:
among the outstanding features OF
our work this year will be those grow
ing out Of the emergency conditions
due to the fact that we have been
called upon to do much Of this special
war work. Some Of these might be
named, as the food survey work, spe'
cial campaigns for the increase of food
acreage. raising of funds for seed
wheat, etc. Through this office and
with the cooperation OF the State
Marketing Commission and the State
Council Of Defense, we secured the
transfer of approximately $500 600 o'
hank deposits from the banks OF the
east side TO banks of the west side
Tarough the cooperation Of the Tus0
| Clearing House 100000 more was
used in the purchase of seedwheat
the Santa Fe Railroad Company has
distributed about 100000 along THEN
! line in Western Oklahoma and The
Texas Panhandle, making a total o
' 81 100000 in round numbers that ha,
\ been placed in banks where farmers
4 needed help to purchase seedwheat
!. Other special campaigns have beer
started looking to@ard the securing o
] seed for crops that will be planted
l next spring"
! Through the activities Of the farm
and home demonstration agents dur
: ing the past year, 2,150 new building
were added to Oklahoma farms ant
: 1858 were improved. Home waite
systems were installed in 115 homes
and lighting systems were installed
in 4S7 other homes, Home ground
\ were improved on 343 farms and tn
sanitary conditions were improved OF
] 2.777 farms. There were 1,941 home
D screened for the first time agains
4 flies and mosquitoes. Home garden
7 we're planted under direction of th
J agents on 1922 farms and 1881
D farmers we're assisted in saving SUI
! plus farm products for winter use
The agents assisted in 239 road in
provement demonstrations with tots
} of 1,276 miles of improved roads II
| sulting. Drainage systems were il
stalled for 14,067 acres of land. Tel
racing reclaimed 1882 acres. Stump
were cleared from S,56S acres.
l In reaching the rural homes of OF
lahoma with the best modern ideas {
agriculture and homemaking, the men
bers OF the Extension staff travelled
l total OF 157955 miles by rail, SSS,6O
l miles by team and 256,259 miles b
I automobile or total by all means {
conveyance of 1,302,S19.
Some notable results were obtaine
! in the numerous farm crop demonstr;
I ton projects. In practically ever
case the increase of yield obtaine
] by improved methods over commo
D practices was startling.
B In the corn demonstrations, 532 den
1 onstrators with .S.035 acres obtaine
y an average acre yield of 24.46 bushel