Milford chronicle., 1918-02-08
TO TAKE AGRICULTURAL
CENSUS FOR DELAWARE
Preliminary Arrangements Made For
Conducting An Agricultural Cen
sus Of the State Outside Of
Wilmington.

NJ. o. Pence. State Leader of County
Agents. L. c. Armstrong. Director OF
Agriculture, the three county SUPER
intendents, and the three county ag-
ents, met in the Office of the Conmis-
sioner of Education in Dover on Feb.
lst and made preliminary arrange
ments for conducting an agricultural
census for the entire state outside Of
! the city of Wilmington, the work to
be done largely through the public
schools of the state. A circular letter
to the teachers is being sent out BY
Commissioner Spaid, and a letter of
| instructions will go forth with the
necessary blanks to the teachers
within few days. Those who have
this matter in charge are anxious that
every person will do everything in his
power to help make this agricultural
census a success. The school clerks
can be Of great assistance to teachers
by going to the school houses with
their assessment lists and parents
also can greatly help by making out
their own blanks for the teacher.
This agricultural census is being
made at the request of the federal
government and has the approval of
the Governor and other state officials.
The State of New York has made
such a census for two years and ex-
poets to make another during this |
month. From the 1917 agricultural !
census Of the State of New York the |
following facts were brought out /
clearly:
l. Shortage of labor.
2. poor distribution of seed and a
state shortage of potatoes, corn and
buckwheat.
8. Difficulty in getting delivery by
the railroads of seeds. fertilizer and
4. An excess of 5000 horses above
The needs of farmers.
5. An increase in the number of
larry cows over last year, but a de-
crease in the number of heifer calves
low being raised.
6. A decrease in the number of
Iheep and hogs, and in the number of
.ggs being incubated.
z. A very striking increase in the !
rea of fruit, wheat, beans, vegetables,
ilfalfa, and corn Cor the silo, with I
consequent decrease in the area of
and in grass.
8. In the past eight years there has
cen a shift of more than 10000 !
creS from grass to the above crops.
The real work of making the cen y
US is to begin on Monday, Mar 4th q
nd is to last for one week. While it g
ill require considerable work on the Il
art of the teacher and her larger pu-
lis the task will be made much ;
ghter if the whole community is y
illing to cooperate. It is suggested Il
lat Monday or Tuesday evening of Il
lie week should be set apart for a y
Getting at the school houses at which Is
me parents could greatly assist in
elping the teachers and pupils in
ling out the various blanks.
After the reports in each school
strict have been tabulated by the la
acher, the various reports will be in
mt to the pr Oper authorities, and in
me Of the banks perhaps in each be
unity will be requested to permit at
cir clerks to use the adding ma of
ines in order to make the final tab ea
ations for the entire county. These ia
ports will show for example, what be
rmers have horses to sell, or what tr
ealities are in need of seed potatoes, fe
have seed corn to sell. The final vii
will be given to the public ou
rough the newspapers for the plan de
to make the census just as valuable jul
the farmers as 1t possibly can be. tes