Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1919-07-11
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= FARM AGENTS COLUMN i
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&C. w. Brown Co. Agent)

~
Agent in cooperation with
the farmer has not only arriv-
ed, but is firmly established.
Just what the county agent
does. how he earns his money
and where he fits into the ag-
ricultural scheme of things
would make good size book
Speaking generally. he is the
Man Friday" of the farming
community. His duties are
broad and very definite.
Speaking generally he must do
whatever will help the farming
interest but must make detail
reports of his entire field ac-
tivities to the Government.
Every official in the depart
ment of agriculture from the
secretary down to the district
agent has more or less of d
check upon him.
AS the Extension Service of
the Government has develop
ed, the County Agents activi-
ties has multiplied until now
he must be a trained special
ist on the different lines Of
farming activities.
First he was merely a far
mer with Il little broader eX-
perience than most of his
neighbors who was willing to
spend his time giving them the
benefit of such things as he
found out in the school of eX.
perience. Later he was man
who had made a definite study
of farming in all its aspects,
specializing in those crops
which was grown in the local
ity in which he was to operate.
He learned what would grow
and how to grow it. He learn
ed what retarded its growth
and how to overcome this diff
ficulty, whether il be climate.
seed. soil, disease or pests. His
knowledge extended also to
stock of all kinds and while he
is not a veterinarian, it is con-
sidered likely that many county
agents could take out a veter-
mary license without great
deal of further study.
Another duty that has re-
Gently been added is that of
organizer. Every class of in
dustry and business is being
organized today for the better
ment of the South and the
community at large and to
keep in pace with the organi-
zation idea. those who have the
interest Of the farmer at heart
conceived the idea that thru
organization the farmer could
be helped. So we have today
our County Farm and County
Chamber of Commerce thru
which the County Agent brings
to the citizens of his county
! such things as he thinks viii
be beneficial to the farmers OF
his locality. AS the vision OF
the County Agents duties ant
possibilities develOved and II
became more and more ap
parent that the only thing the
farmer lacked was OrganiZa
tiou with the community ant
that the one man TO perfec
this condition was the Count.
Agent. The concrete result o
I the entire county for the pur
| pose of improving conditions
! in education, morals, marke,
I ing. financing, community buy
\ ing. community selling. com
\ muuity breeding, planting. etc
\ II has been stated that IL tn
County Agent through this or
\ sanization accomplished noth
\ ING more that community buy
ing, planting and marketing
i, will be worth thousands o
\ dollars yearly.
\ One of the greatest problem
the County Agent has to solv
is to secure the greatest pric
for the products of the farm
\ ers after they have been pro
duced and before they are los
by natural decay and with tn
present marketing facilitie
and the live marketing com
mission. if each community
properly organized and a mar
Y lieting committee acting in co
Y operation with the Count,
y Agent, enough will be save
Y every year to pay the Count,
y Agents salary for severa