The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-12-19
ACREAGE CROPPED INCREASES THIRD
Fairfield County Farm Bureau Regards Its Work Worthy
 of County Support.

The Fairfield County Farm Bureau Is facing a critical financial handi- cap. So serious has the situation become, that at the December meet Ing of the Executive Committee 1t was voted to discontinue the depart ment of Boys and Girls Work aftor February ], unless the means to car ry on this work were forthcoming be- fore that time.
 Last year the Farm Bureau re- ceived from county funds only $1,- 900, instead of $6,OOO as in 1917.
 The officers of the Bureau tried to meet the war emergencies which have called for an endless amount of edu- cational work and leadership in both food production and conservation. That these emergencies have been supported with considerable success Is evidenced by the fact that the acreage under cultivation in the tate has been increased thirty-five per cent. in the last two years, ill part at least through the influence of the Farm Bureaus, and by the atta1n- ment of the allotted goal of cOnserv- ed products -et by the U. $. Dept. of Agriculture.
 There are employed by the Bureau at the present time, five field work CTS a county agricultural agent g. county club leader and three home demonstration agents, one located in Bridgeport, one in Stamford and one for the rural towns in the county. A secretary with one or two stem q prises the office force.
 By farm visit; letter, telephone call and office call the county agent has personally communicated with 1,e73 farmers In the county, or an average of five per day.
 Other lines of work have been i'm portant, especially emergency work The seed corn situation was the worst known in memory of the oldest in habitant. The severe freezing weath- CT injured the germ, preventing d good stand. Seventy-five samples of corn were taken and tested at the New Haven Experiment Station. Through the fine cooperation of the press many farmers learned of tho poor condition of ceed corn and test ed before planting.
 Poultry meetings and dem onstFa- tons have been held to cut the cost oR feeding and get rid of stacker hens. Seven different parts of the county have had meetings with an attendance of 154. As @ result there has been saving of 30 per cent. in the grain bill of each flock so cull- ed.
 The time of the Boys and Girls department has been spent in stim- ulating S,135 boys and girls to great CT food production and conservation. An estimate based upon reports and records received from various parts of the county places the total value of products produced or conserved by i Junior Food Army members during { the past season ct S97,53O.
 ] Early in January the representa- 1 lives from this county will assemble to a1lot the appropriations which the county commissioners shall make during the next year. The needs of tine Bureau must be presented at
 that meeting if financial backing Is to ] come from that source. It is now l entirely in the hands of the local
 public as to whether or not the or
 sanitation shall continue in its work An expression of opinion should be
 made by every Farm Bureau support
 CT to his local representatives who arc
 going to tho legislature next month.