The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-05-23
AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION WORK
OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

W rLUNlUA
and the consideration due them is
given by the agents provided. who
| understand agriculture in the western
part of the state.
General Farming Problems
Those who understand the farmers
| needs in the production of corn, cot
ton, sweet potatoes livestock, hogs,
small fruits, garden vegetables, ETC.,
stand ready at all times to give the
necessary aid. The county agents OF
the southern part of the state have
been busy with the problems of the
trucker the citrus grower, the stock
raiser and, in many instances, with
those who plant ornamentals.
The Smith-Lever act did not pro-
pose to turn all the attention toward
production, however; from it's very
nature it is educational, and in order
to be educational, phase Of it is di-
rected toward the instruction of the
boys and girls Of school age, those
coming between the ages of ten and
eighteen. The beginning of this was
corn clubs, pig clubs. dairying clubs.
peanut clubs and vegetable clubs for
boys; with the girls, canning clubs
dairying clubs, home economic and
domestic science clubs, and as the
farm and the home cannot be separ-
ated in any country, the act provides
for building Of agriculture that in
wolves the farm and the home and
excites the interest Of avery member.
Demand for Service.
With the development Of Florida's
agricultural resources, there has come
in an unusual demand for service. To
produce is not sufficient in the mind
of the average farmer; he must have
a way of disposing of the crops he
produces. 1t is not sufficient to know
that dairying is profitable business;
many farmers must know how to Sc
cure the dairy stock. 1t Is not suf-
ficient to instruct the boys how to
raise good hogs; these hogs must be
secured from some source, and the ex-
tension agents have been vital factor
in arranging for these sources. 1t was
necessary for these extension agents
to bring this matter to the attention
Of bankers, business men, and others
in order that sufficient funds could
be provided for the purchase Of pure
bred hogs. This has been going on
through period Of six or seven years,
with the results that no progressive
farmer in the state Of Florida today
would consider a propositin that would
propose anything but purebred hogs,
even for meat production.
So general has been. this develop
ov~fia y-lxr in
native razorback hog is seldom seen
in our farming sections, but in place
of them purebred or high grade Po-
land -Chinas, Duroc Jerseys, Berk-
shires or Hampshires.
How the Farms Are Served.
DuNng the year 1920, 30,331 calls
were made on county agents to assist
farmers. There were 642 farmers
meetings held under the auspices CT
county agents, with total attendance
of 37,S61 In addition to this, there
We're field meetings, boys club camps
farmers conferences, all Of which
were intended to bring farmers to-
gether to deal with their home prob
lens. AS there are some $4,000 farm
ers in the state of Florida, these rig
ures indicate that one call was made
on farmers relativce to their work Tor
every two farms, in the state Of Flori-
da, and when we consider that a tarn
in Florida may be only small truck
ing area, that many Of these are To-
Gated in counties where agents are not
employed, these figures indicate that
rs per cent or more of the actual farms
in counties where agents are employed
are receiving direct help at their farms
and even a larger per cent in a more
general way
Throughout 1920, demonstrations
were conducted with corn, cotton, oats
rye, rice, cowpeas, velvet beans, pea
nuts, sweet potatoes. Irish potatoes,
dairy cattle, beef cattle, hogs, poultry,
fertilizers, silos, drainage. etc. Eight
three hundred ninety mine
citrus groves received some supervis-
ion from county agents. In all 1885,
s4s trees were given attention.
These are, briefly, some of the
things that county agents do, and ex-
plains the reason why the farmers Of
the state have learned the value OF
this corps of workers. who have nc
other purpose than to serve their
counties. for which purpose they were
employed.
The Boys Work
One hundred ninety-seven boys in
the corn clubs made average yield OF