Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-09-15

w. Abbott, Augusta. Secretary-
Treasurer, L. o. Brown. Vassalbores-
Crops; A. s. Pope, Manchester. .
stock; d. s. Clement, Winthrop, or.
chardS +. w. Blackwell. Winslow.
Poultry and 7. {. Chaffie. Gardiner.
Clubs.
one OF the purposes Of the Farm:
Bureau was to cooperate with the
College OF Agriculture, University Of
Maine and the United States Depart
| ment OF Agriculture in conducting
agricultural extension work in the
county. This work had already been
going Oh since the fall OF l9l2, when
Arthur l. Deering became one or
the first county agents in the state.
Cnde" AIR, Deering the work had
been developed until II had become
leading factor In progressive aGri-
! culture In the county
The organization proved popular
and the membership grew by leaps
and bo unds. In the first year,
twenty-five communities were organ
lied with total membership of 4SS.
all men. The next year. 1919, there
We're Twenty-Five communities har-
ing mems division of the Farm
Bureau. That year work was begun
for women, with Miss Helen Lyman
I, as the first home demonstration
! agent, and the women were organ
lied in seventeen communities with
II membership OF 40.
In 1921 the membership reached
! its peak. 1910 of whom lO4O were
| men and TO were women. Since
/ then membership has fiuctuated.
somewhat from year to year. Pres
ent membership Is 1850 OF whom
S.s) az men an 100 are women.
| 4, N,.,nN
! been the largcs. in the state.
| In 1919. d.. T.. Foster OF Augusta,
succeeded Mr. clifford as president
and. Was in turn succeeded last Octo-
| Der Eyj II. j.. Plummor OF Benton
the prCscnt incumbent. The FARM
! Bureau has had but two secretaries,
: A. w. Abbott and +. Il. Stackpole.
= both of Augusta. Mrs. Patterson
was succeeded In September. 192Oe
! by Mss Helen l.. Clark who resigned
4 last June 10 go TO California. The
present Home Demonstration agent
| is Miss Grace l.. PennoCk. a sradu-p
ate of Bosom University and who has
| taken Il post graduate course at New
Hampshire State College In Home
! EconomiCs.
A. J.. nccring served as county
agent from December 1917. to Feb
ruary 1920. when he resigned to be-
come county agent leader in Maines
He ives succeeded by {. A. Day, the
present agent.
Front the very beginning, tho
Farm Bureau and the Extension
Service have agreed upon definite
program OF work and all the cner-
gies OF both organizations have been
expended in forwarding that pro-
gram. Each year the program has
81, "a lr
poultry, orchards, farm manage
ment. toys' and girls clubs In agri-
culture and home economies, cloth
ing. IcIsehoid management. FOODS
and health. Last year new pros
! ject forestry was adopted and a
definite program has been started
for the improvement OF the farm
woodlots In the county.
| Among the outstanding pieces Of
/ work have been the introduction OF
mammoth flint silagc corn. vari-
| ETY. which records show has in-
creased the value of tho silage corn
crop by practically $4,000 year
for the past seven years. g
| Another outstanding project was
the orchard pruning campaign con-
Quoted in 1921 and 1922. In 1872,
4S6 men reported that they pruned
60 725 apple trees az compared with
40. 7S7 Iruned in 1921. an increase Of
forty per cent. They also grated
2.703 trees. This campaign was givS'
ell nationwide prominence by the
| United States Department of Agri-
| culture.
| Poultry culiing IL still another
! project which has put thousands OF
dollars into the pockets of kennebec
| County farmers. Two campaigns
J nj NJ -
| hundred demonstrations in cuiling
were conducted. The demonstra-
lions covered every organized town.
| in the county and every poultry
keeper in those communities were
given an opportunity to learn how.
10 Gull, 10 see it done and to prac@.
| tice tg,Iing themselves.