The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1920-05-20
THE COUNTY AGENT

He is a figure of untold possibilities
as he scampers along the country roads
in his little, mud-spattered car. Peace
has her heroes, and he is one of them
There is romance in every human
aChievement-in the building of the
Panama Canal no less than in the
European war-and the story of the
proving of the county agent is worthy
of more than casual attention.
Horace Greeley'S laconic advice to
the young men of the East applied to
the conditions of his period but had
he lived until this day the astute OBJ
server of American affairs would have
extended his remarks to the young
men of the whole country with an
admOnition to stay wherever they
happened TO be if a county agent was
there. Moreover, Mr. Greeley would
find something intensely reassuring
for the present generation could be
see the recent report gotten out by
the States Relations Service of the
United States Department of Agricul-
ture concerning the activities of the
county agents in the 80 northern and
western states for the year 1919
County agents-frst called farm
demonstrators have been employed
in the southern states since 1903 The
first county agent in the north and
west made his debut in Broome coun-
ty, New York, in 1911. Popular SEN
timent of that time was inclined to
the opinion that the farmer was an
ultra conservative individual; that he
resented the idea of change, and was
lOath to depart from the customs es-
tablished by his pioneer ancestors. 1t
was limited in the gatherings Of the
poorly informed that the farmer was
opposed to any aid from scientific
sources, and that the county demon
strator fresh from the fount of sci
entific endeavor, would be as popular
in the rural district as a German
crown prince nj the Place de la Con
cOrde.
A good deed shines afar in this
naughty world, and it would be diff
cult to cOnfne the benefit Of the cOun-
" agent system to the farmers alone,
even if such limitation were desirable
from the point Of view Of the farmer,
and decidedly it is not. The law of sup
ply and demand never Injuries those
No ,I,a 4
seems paradOXical, better markets ana
better prices for the producer usually
mean better purchasing facilities and
better prices for the consumer also.
Thus in demonstrating the proper
methods for treating seed potatoes 10
insure against certain diseases the
agent does a good turn for both the
farmer and the city customer Better.
methods Of planting, packing, and ship
ping mean that the farmer will save
a larger portion of his crop and that
the consumer will not be required to
pay for produce which has been
wasted. The farmer is assured of a
better and more reliable market for
his standardized products. and he
avoids the loss which must accompany
poor crops and poor marketing condi-
tons. Both are happy.
AS a partial result Of the county
agents efforts in these states, 216,40S
farmers planted 7O42.936 acres of CON
with selected and tested seed; 1899 .
sos acres were planted with oats
treated to prevent smut and 1S6.O45
acres of potaties were given a better
chance by reason of the seed potato
treatment demonstrated at these meet .
.ngs.
The busy 1900 found time to help
the farm gardens, and thus to increase .
largely the value of the vegetables
produced
Dairying methods received a merited
share of attention Registered bulls to
the number of 1O,O25 were secured for
the farmers. 1854 registered COWS.
4 or registered rams, S,925 registered .
boars, and 1876 registered sires Of .
all kinds were transferred from one
to another, thus increasing
their periods of service and extending .
the value of their lineage to a larger
number of herds.
Farmers have not generally kept .
farm accounts that would enable them .
to make an accurate study Of profit .