The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1921-08-11

WITHIN TWO years..
FARMERS GATHERING FACTS.
County Bureaus Compile Data on
Machinery and Farm I'M
prOvements.
Two statewide surveys were begun
today by the Minnesota Farm Bureau
federation to find out the exact effect
of present economic conditions on the
states normal agricultural develop
ment. At the request Of the state
federation, county farm bureaus be-
gan gathering information on pur-
chases of farm machinery and on
farm improvements made during the
last six months.
''The great handicap Of agriculture,
in it's fight for legislative relief and in
it's business developments, always has
been lack Of accurate, specific infor-
nation" farm bureau officers said
Zone Of the great services the farm
bureau is doing for the farmer, and
for the rest Of the country as we'll, is
the gathering of authoritative data
showing conditions as they actually
exist in the production of the nations
food. The severity of the setback suf-
fered by the farmers because of the
present conditions will be reflected in
their ability or inability to make i'm
provements on their farms, and to
buy needed equipment"
A similar survey just completed
showed that in 40 counties farmers
have to pay from s to 10 percent in
terest on short time loans, and that II,
80 counties a bonus was required on
long term loans.
Development in Cooperative Work.
There are numerous inquiries re-
garding the sequence Of events in the
development of cooperative extension
work in agriculture and home eco
Monies. The following ere some of the
more important dates in the history
of this work as it has developed in CO.
operation with the United States de-
partment of agriculture:
19O4-Farm demonstration work to
combat the boil weevil was begun in
Texas and Louisiana by DR.. Seaman
A. Knapp, with funds appropriated &c
the department for the purpose. inc
first agents appointed under the prof
ect covered several counties.
.19O6-The first agent whose work
was to be confined to single county
was appointed for Smith county, Tex.
November IL. TIE first agents in the
south were not called 'county agents
but Especial agents" in conformity
with the departments practice
at the time, although thy were ir
fact county agents, as the name is
now understood, in that their work
was confined to a single county anc
was supported by federal and loca
funds.
1907-Boys' club work, organized If
cooperation with the department Of
agriculture, began in Holmes county
Miss. The boys club work in tn;
south has from the first been associat
ed with the county agents work.
191O-Girls' CLUB work began IL
three counties in Virginia and one IL
South Carolina. The demonstration
work with women was an outgrowtl
of the girls club work and has from
the beginning been associated with i
in the south. The first home demon
stration agent for a single county
appointed by the department of agri
culture, was for Aiken county, S. c.
and was commissioned August 16.
1911-The first county agent in tn
pointed for Broome county, N. Y.
March 20.
1912-Boys' and girls club work il
cooperation with the department O
agriculture in the northern and Yves
tern states was organized in Iowa an<
Indiana.
1914-The Smith-Lever act, perma
nently provided for nationwide co
operative extension work in agricul
ture and home economics became Law
May 8.
1916-Co-operation Of the depart
ment in home demonstration worl
with women in the northern and Yves
tern states began with the appoint
ment of a home demonstration agen
for Erie county, N. Y, May 2.
1921-In this year the personnel o
the cooperative extension work hal
grown to include 1888 persons en-
gagged in county agent work, 988 hom