The New York herald., 1920-12-26

is an account of an incident which
reveals the intelligent cooperation or
farmers. State and industrial COR
porations:
Alertness on the part OF the county
agent In Umatilla county, Oregon, this
year prevented a motor oil famine. which
threatened many thousands OF dollars IN
loss of crops. The county agent appealed
TO several California oil refining COM
panies, and. with the aid of the Cali
fornia State Marketing Bureau. sue
ceeded In having about twenty-five car
loads OF distilate shipped into the region.
The orders of farmers were pooled and
banks were instructed to honor demands
on account of those in the pool. The
first shipment of twelve carloads, or
100,661 gallons. was distributed among
III farmers in May and saved them
$4,000. During June two more cars and
July eight more cars were distributed,
making total Of 2s5.s51 gallons Of fuel.
1t is estimated that the entire savings
totaled at least $4,000 During the
month OF June similar service was given
farmers by county agents In Morrow.
Sherman and wasco counties. In these
three counties u total of 1O5. 600 gallons of
distiilate was secured and distributed
at a great saving.
Calcium arsenate properly busted on
cotton plants has been found effective in
checking the boil weevil. A Tallulah,
Louisiana, planter treated his entire
acreage with 1t. excepting certain test
plats. 1t cost him 1920 an acre TO
apply. and he obtained an average
yield Of 1915 pounds of seed cotton
to the acre on the land surrounding
the test plats. while these imprisoned
test piats averaged only 800 pounds.
or about 25 per cent. of the yield on
the poisoned cotton. Thus his net
profit from poisoning on these areas
on sales made before the prices of cot
ton declined was about $3.50 an acre.
But the calcium arsenate is being i'm
properly applied In many cases. and
the county agents are going out to
instruct the planters how to use it
effectively and economically
When the crop is harvested the
county agent may induce the farmers
to store 1t. as has been done with
sweet potatoes in a 100000 bushel
community warehouse In Manatee
county. Florida. this year---it formerly
was q common occurrence for farm
ers to ship their potatoes to North
ern markets or canneries within a
short time Of harvesting and later to
find themselves compelled to purchase
potatoes by the three pound can at
several times their original market
price--or he may arrange for COOP
erative marketing, as has been done
L., gexI Avlx av.a
cattle formerly sold at SO to So hun
dredweight under the st. Louis mar
kets, and hogs at 81 to 81 a hundred
weight below the market. A carload
Of ninety-four hogs collected and
shipped through the activity of the
county agent brought from So to S11
more than the local price. Buyers In
the county are now paying approx
mately st. Louis prices.
Thus the county agents are proving
their usefulness, getting more for the
farmers and the farmers families,
and for the residents OF villages,
towns and cities. for whatever benefits
the farmer by improving his land, his
methods and his practices benefits the
whole country.
There were only few men county
agents in 1904. and the women county
agents appeared first in 1910. They
are not established in any county un-
I'll the farmers resident IN 1t have
shown that they want the help an
agent can give and are willing to CO.
operate with him and with each Other,
When the spirit to cooperate is shown
the county agent comes In ana the
county Is on the way to better farms
and hetter farmers