The New York herald., 1920-12-26
Missioners of Science Busy on Farms
They Are Turning Rule of Thumb Farmers Into Scien
t6c Agriculturists and Adding to Nations Wealth.

OF the 2,s3s counties in the United
States It In figured that in 1850 farm
ing is an industry OF sufficient impor-
tance to Justify tho employment of
county agricultural agents, the men
and women who bring up to date
knowledge and science TO the land,
making agricultural colleges and State
and national agricultural research
laboratories part CT the equipment of
every tiller OF the soil.
or these missioners of enlightenment
there are about 2,100 men and 500
women now. against $500 men and
1,7O0 women in 1s17-191s. when the
gospel of food production was preached
by official and unofficial agents all
over the country. The decrease In the
number OF agents is sincerely TO be
regretted. In time OF peace as much
as in time Of war the country needs
scientific, economical, efficient farm
ing. Proper preparation of the soil,
seeding. cultivation and harvesting are
of supreme Importance to factory
worker, clerk, merchant and profess
sional man; of greater Importance to
them than to the, farmer. Only a
combination Of individual stupidity and
adverse natural phenomena almost in
conceivable can reduce the farmer to
actual starvation. A comparatively
slight impairment Of the surplus yield
of the farms will bring privation If not
actual suffering to the town dweller.
The county agents translate science
into practicable terms, and teach men
and women how to apply It to the
land. The women county agents are
apostles of better living for farm
families, instructing housewives in
improved domestic methods, as well
as counselling them in the arts of
preserving foods and the like. There
is no beneficial activity of the farmer
and his family which is not encour-
aged and aided by the county agents.
They find out what fertilizers are re-
ouired for the soils under their juris-
diction and get them in quantities at
the lowest possible rate. For example,:
Farmers in Morgan county. Alabama,
have saved approximately $40 ton by
mixing their fertilizer at home under the
If he ntsrNt tnu ~
shipping IN the ready mixed article. Tho
factory mixed commercial fertilizer has
cost $40 to $50 ton. and the price placed
limit on its use which has been largely
relieved by the practice of home mixing.
In Bullock county ten central commu-
mites have engaged In cooperative buy
| ing of commercial fertilizer and ingredi-
ents for home mixed fertilizer.
The county agents promote the
growing of unusual and useful prod
ucts. Here Is an example:
sunflowers sro being extensively grown
| for silage in parts of Oregon, Washing
ton, Idaho and Montana, where climatic
! conditions are such as TO make corn
1 growing for silage uncertain. sunflowers
yield as high as seven or eight tons to
| the acre. and when cut green for silage
have not developed enough wood In tho
stalks 10 impair seriously their use for
cattle feed.
Growing OF sunflowers is being en-
coursged by the county agents. and ox-
| tensive tests of the action of slage on
sunflowers are being made at the United
States department experiment station at
! Redfield, South Dakota.
When a shortage in some essential
of farm operation threatens the
county agent gets on the Job. Here