The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1921-03-04
EXTENSION DIVISION
BENEFITS THOUSANDS
OF TENNESSEE FARMERS
Carries Message Of Better
Farming and Home Making
TO Remote Parts Of State

During the past year the Extenslol
Department of the College Of Agricul
ture Of the University OF Kentucky haI
served in most effective way, thru
short courses In agriculture and hom'
economics, by means Of visits upon tn
farm and In the home by county ant
home demonstration agents, thr
boys and girls clubs Of various kinds
adult community organizations anC
field demonstrations, more than 800,
900 people Of Tennessee.
The Division Of Extension has beer
an active integral and organized par
of the University since 1914 and ther
is probably no force that1s Of SO wids
a benefit or Is giving greater returns
to more people Of the state than this
organization with its corps Of able anc
efficient men and women agents and
specialists
Rural progress in Tennessee is writ.
ten In every line Of the annual report
Of the Division prepared by Charles A
Keffer, director. II Is the purpose Of
the extension service to carry directly
10 the farms and the homes of the
country and secure the adoption In
practice OF the best available infor.
nation regarding agriculture and
homo economics thruNcounty agents.
who deal with farm problems; home
demonstration agents who deal with
the problems Of the home: club lead
ers who carry on work with young
people. and specialists In the various
branches Of agriculture and home eco.
nomics
The charge sometimes made that
the county agent Is a ''white collar
farmer" meaning that he does not get
out among the farmers In the field, but
spends most Of his time In the Office,
can not be held against Tennessee
agents. The annual report shows that
IS per cent Of their time was spent
In the field and only rs per cent In
their Offices Statistics are not always
interesting, but the following, showing
the accomplishments Of the agents,
will convince the most skeptical that
county agents work. Is worth while
In performing their duties of the
year the agents visited 9,S5S demon
strators. 1884 co-operators, 1887
farmers not directly cooperating with
them, 1890 business men, 6.777 boys
club members, making a total number
Of visits by them 43,627. They trav-
eled 276,578 miles had 22,3S2 personal
calls, 1904 calls by telephone and as
sisted In 3,S13 farmers meetings which
were held under their auspices or Di-
vision Of Extension. They addressed
4,7S3 meetings, with a total attendance
Of approximately 100000 and conduct
ed 662 field meetings. j. with the total
attendance Of 1887. They wrote
N,123 official letters, prepared for pub
lications 2045 articles, sent out 100000
circular letters and distributed 5O,25J
United States Department Of Agricul-
ture bulletins. 25,13S bulletins or cir
culars for the State College of Agri-
culture and the Division OF Extension
and visited 1891 schools to interest
them In agricultural work. More than
$3.50 farmers are now practicing fall
blowing; 4,5S9 selecting seed and 2,9O5
are growing improved seed for sale.
As evidence that this work Is Of
money value to the farmer, enabling
him by the improved methods put into
practice to pay off mortgages and open
bank accounts, agents report that over
600 farmers have opened bank ac-
counts for the first time since begin
ming demonstration work, and 1,OSe
have been able to increase their bank
deposit. More than 1000 farmers
have paid off their mortgages on their
farms since starting demonstration
work and 8S per cent of fhe farmers
cooperating with the agents are de-
creasing their Indebtedness, IS per
CENT are showing increased interest In
agricultural meetings and 90 par cent
are showing a desire to study the farm
business and progress. Labor saving
devises have been placed In $40 homes
Of co-operators and demonstrators as
result Of agents work Some Of the
more noticeable effects of farmers,
homes and family as resulting from
the work Of the agents is the building
OF better homes. barns breeding Of
better livestock. attendance at fairs,
short courses and conventions, taking
of more papers and magazines. par
chase of automobiles, improved roads,
installing Of water Ind light systems
In the home and providing Of homo
amusement.
Some of the outstanding pieces Of
work. done by the agents demonstrates
the value Of the work.
The 1911 acres of corn grown under
methods advocated by county agents
In 1919 produced an average Of rs
bushels per acre; the average yield in
these same counties was "a bushels
per acre, which shows that the yield
was practically doubled due TO demon
strntion methods This applies equal
II to cotton, tobacco and small grains.
The agents influenced s74 farmers to
select seed corn IN the fall for NEXT