The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1919-05-30

controlling hog cholera through the
Growers Associations of which there
are at present 271 with combined
membership of 4,941. Interest in
sheep growing has been greatly ac-
CELEBRATED through the organization of
some ten county associations.
The women's organization form the
connecting link between the College
and the home and under the able
leadership of Miss Keller, State
Home Demonstration Agent, the two
institutions have been brought very
close together. There are now 1913
women's organizations in the State;
SO clubs and 100 community associa-
tons. The main lines Of work fol-
lowed are the conservation of food
by canning, drying, pickling and
preserving; improvement of COM
munity social life; and the considera-
ton of home problems Of all kinds.
The greatest crop in the State, our
hope Of tomorrow, the boys and girls
in the rural and urban homes occupy
a very important place in the work
of the Service. During 1918 ap-
proximately 5000 boys and girls
were Influenced through the activi-
ties of the Extension Service Special
lists. The boys were instructed in the
growing of corn, potatoes, pigs and
poultry; and the girls in canning,
gardening, sewing and home work of
various kinds. 1t was a banner year
for the youngsters, the members of
the boys clubs produced products to
the value of $56, 368.00; and ON their
tenth acre gardens, the girls raised
$25, $1,000 worth Of vegetables and in
addition filled some 100000 cans with
good things to eat.
One of the features of the win
The-War Product Contest carried
out by the Extension Service was the
"War Garden Contest" 1t is doubt
full if people generally fully realized
the possibilities of small home gar
den previous to this organized move
ment to produce and conserve food
stuffs. These possibilities are strik-
ingly illustrated in the returns from
the two best gardens in the State;
the first prize small garden gave a
return of $1427.80 per acre and the
large garden $13S9.40 per acre. 1t
is estimated that there were 10000
gardens in the State last year on
which products to the value of &c.
$50 10000 were grown. The Service
contemplates the continuation of this
project which in the future will be
known as the peace Garden"
In order to give a practical appli-
cation Of the results obtained in the
investigation work of the Experiment
Station and College, 3,427 demonstra-
tons in the culture of fifteen standard
farm crops were conducted by the
County Agents in cooperation with
the farmers of their respective coun-
ties. Some idea Of the tremendous
scope of this demonstration work
may be gained from the figures re-
lating to orchards; 961 demonstra
lions were conducted in the spraying,
pruning and general culture of 1885,
SIT trees. Special demonstrations in
the care and feeding of livestock and
poultry; control and production Of
diseases; the home mixing of fer
tilizers, and the care of manure; the
operation and management OF tract
ors; the construction of silOs; the
use of lime; the value Of wilt resist
ant tomatoes: control of insect pests,
plant diseases, and similar problems
were carried on under the direction
of the Experts Of the Service.
In taking the College to the people
of the men and women County
Agents personally visited over 10000
farmers; held approximately $4,000
office consultations; arranged for and
addressed some 1000 meetings having
combined attendance in excess Of
zoo, 900 people; wrote 4O,440 personal
letters, and sent out 68,523 circular
letters; distributed 1851 bulletins;
and prepared 1880 articles relating
to their work for the press.
During the year ten bulletins and
fifteen circulars dealing with timely
TOPICS were issued by the Service,
and $4,000 copies distributed The
State College Journal which comes
out monthly enjoyed circulation for
the year of $4,000 copies.
A very definite part was played by
the members of the Service in helping
| To carry out the State and Nations
War Program The details Of the
$25. 900 eWfn-The- War Product Con-
test" were arranged and supervised
by the several Specialists in charge
| OF the lines OF work in which prizes
were offered. In connection with the
wheat saving campaign, $40 thrash
ing machines were inspected with the
resulting estimated saving OF $4,000
| bushels of grain. A considerable
amount re- time and study was given
to the farm labor situation, and de-
finite assistance rendered to farmers
| III all sections, or the State. Every
member of the force entered heartily
into the Red Cross, W. M O. a.,
Liberty Loan, and War Savings
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