SEED IMPROVEMENT MEETIN(;. 211 



THE WORK OF THE ASSOCIATION DURING THE 



YEAR OF 1912. 



A. W. Jones, Augusta. 



To the Members of the Maine Seed Improvement Association: 



The work of the Association has not prospered as well this 

 year as it would have if there had been a field agent during the 

 whole year instead of only half of it. 



I began my duties as field agent on the seventeenth day of 

 June. In some respects this was an unfavorable time, as all of 

 the crops were planted or if not planted the time did not permit 

 any selection of seed. There was one advantage, however. I 

 had the best opportunity to see what the different members 

 were doing and to find out the ones that were most interested 

 in the work. 



Since June seventeenth, I have called on 160 farmers at their 

 farms, and of these I have called on 36 a second time. During 

 the month of September I attended 8 fairs. I also had the 

 pleasure of attending the New England fruit show at Portland 

 and the New England corn show at Boston. 



During this time I have made but few attempts to offer advice 

 or suggestions. This line of work was a little dififerent from 

 any I ever did before, so I thought I would study the condition 

 of things as I found them, and then I could ofifer suggestions 

 where they were needed. 



In the course of my work I have tried to help the farmers in 

 solving the immediate problems and hope I have been of some 

 assistance in that way. 



During my conversation with various farmers and by observ- 

 ing their methods and the general appearance of their farms, I 

 have found the following points to be true in nearly every case, 

 to a greater or less extent. Please bear in mind that what I am 

 about to say is only the impression I received ; I leave it with 



