The diamond drill., 1918-02-16
COUNTY AGENTS WORTH.
CONTINUED from Page one.)

IL
duced farmers to go into potato cult
ure and TO secure the best OF SEED
The warnings from Washington ADDED
10 the county agents work. induced
many farmers TO plant more potatoes
than they ever did before.
Farmers all over the nation
did the same and, when IL cano
TO harvest time. there was question:
~ n fair price could be got Tor pota-
toes unless something was done u
protect the farmer.
Investigation among local ner-
chants showed that they intended 70
profiteer at the expense OF the FARMER
they were Offering from 65 cents 70
75 cents for a bushel. They e'lhoeu
no disposition TO buy at all ihen
the county agent got busy. lie caiieu
Tho farmers together and told them
that unless they made some move to-
wards providing place for storing
their potatoes they would be IN the
clutches OF Crystal Falls merchants
who woula under-psy for their pota-
toes. He organized units and set at
work 10 build potato warehouses. hls
nroiect was looked upon with skepu-
c,sm both by the merchants and the
farmers at first, but Mr. Hoopingarher
mos ao,armined to succeed so he took
hold NJ the work OF building the Crys-
,aI Falls warehouse himself, and by
incessant effort he got 1t under way.
Then the storekeepers woke up. TheJ
decided that they might as well puy
the potatoes then at fair price as 10
LET the farmers store their crop ano
have to pay, probably a higher price
later on, so buying was started and
instead OF the farmers getting Sixty
five cents for their potatoes they go'
in the neighborhood OF one dollar. ID
brisk was the buying that 1t early De
came apparent that the warehouse
wouldn't be needed, so 1t wasn't en-
tirely completed last fall and only Zoe
bushels were placed in It. During thS
coming season the work will be fin.
: ished and next fall it will be fllec
with potatoes to be sold out as ship
ping conditions warrant.
Talking Cold Storage.
, Mr. Hoopingarner Is talking o
erecting in Crystal Falls and at lro'
Q River cold storage plants where th'
, farmers can store their surplus beef
eggs and other products that need
: cold storage for preservation. II h
succeeds he will not only assure tn
/ farmer OF this community fair pic
, for his produce, but he will likewis
: assure TO the resident a fair price 70
: what he buys.
g The marketing work is now one
= the principal results sought by MI
! Hoopingarner. IL he succeeds, an
+; every disinterested man hopes he viii
: II means that this community is pu
upon the road towards point OF be
! ing self-sustaining
/ Mr.. Hoopingarner's work OF organ
: izing units has not been appreciate
d In this country. A reporter for TN
a Diamond Drill was shown a map c
e the county one day during the wee
q upon which was marked the unit
u that have been organized in the cour
* ty and its revelation was surpris
= These units are for different purpo'
es: some for cattle, some for IN
le ownership OF machinery; some fc
At ed, some for social conditions; a
le OF them are active and include in the
n membership the farmers of the SUI
er rounding territory.
OF 1t is Mr. Hoopingarner's plan to col
as tlnue this organization work upward
o. 10 group these locals into township o
re ganizations and the townships into
IN county council through which q
III county activities can be taken up. ii
ie plan Is an elaborate one and If II
10 successfully engineered It will proyiC
this county with a solidifed counC
at through which all county activiti
de can be taken up.
Us
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