Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1922-12-28

In a number of the communities Of
Boundary county petitions are being
circulated in which the county board
q commissioners is asked to do away
with county agent work.
From all accounts those signing
these petitions are doing so from an
economical standpoint, with a view of
cutting d o w n county expenses and
lowering taxes.
If county agent work is any good,
its merits should bring it into favor
in district like Boundary county,
which is, one might say, in the first
stages Of agricultural development
1t is true that in all districts there
are farmers who do not need the as
sistance Of county agent. But it is
also true t h the success of one
farmer is a help, even if in an indirect
manner, to his neighbor and to other
farmers Of the district This is proven
in the stock business, the fruit busi-
ness. the poultry business, the seed
potato raising business, etc The e
more crops grown, the more produce
raised, h e better marketing condi-
tions can be had and there is better
chances for cooperation for the mutu-
al benefit of all. Ten farmers may
nced the help of :. county agent where
the one farmer does not, and yet one
man may benefit from county agent
work, indirectly but just as surely,
through the success of his neighbors
and the assistance given them.
Whether or not county agent work
is to be continued in Boundary county
depends entirely upon the attitude of
the farmers The other taxpayers of
the county cannot derive any benefit
from county agent work except as it
benefits the farmer. Ii the farmers
don't want county agent work let's
drop it. But deliberate consideration
of what county agent work costs and
what good it does should be made be-
fore action is taken.
County agent work in Boundary
county the past year actually cost,
according to the records at the county
courthouse, at a rate OF 80 cents for
each $1,000 assessed valuation From
this statement each farmer in the
county may easily ascertain just what
it costs him to have available the
services of county agent
1DHSlQPT tulS dlSO. ADJnt % per
cent Of the taxes of Boundary county
are paid by the corporations and the
municipality of Bonners Ferry. leav-
ing about Is per cent to be paid by
the farmers.
n Now that we know what county
agent work costs the farmer, let's
consider what benefits are derived.
The county agent IS the county rep
resentative of the United States de-
partment of agriculture an the Uni
versity Of Idaho. whose duties are
strictly educational County agent
work should be of almost equal value
to the farmers of Boundary county as
the state agricultural school is to the
state of Idaho.
The educational work is conducted
through the cooperation of the uni
versity extension specialists. instruc-
tors experiment stations. interested
farmers in carrying on field demon
strations, field excursions, extension
schools. public meetings, bulletins
circular letters and local press
articles.
The following lines OF extension
work were undertaken in Boundary
county the past year and which, with
additional problems that are of com
munity or countrywide interest. should
be continued the coming year:
4 Poultry improvement,
! Seed potato production,
/ Dairying,
Soil and crop improvement,
| Land clearing,
Weed and insect control
1 Rodent control.
Ordinarily educational institutions
lare not expected to be self-suppurting