2C.'i ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



-PAPKRS READ AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF 

 THE STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE, HEED 

 AT HARRISBURG, PA., JANUARY 28 AND 29, 

 1903. 



THE KESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES OF STATE BOARDS 

 AXD TEACHERS OF AGRICULTURE. 



Bv PliOF. 1. P. KoBEltrs, ijj CoriU'U Univfrsity. Itluua. X. i'. 



Upon whose slionlders rests the responsibility of promoting agri- 

 cultural knowledge throughout this great Commonwealth? This 

 question is both fair and pertinent at this time. Fair, because the 

 leaders in agricultural thought and the officers or members of your 

 various distinctively agricultural organizations and teachers are 

 largely responsible for the conditions of the rural poijulation and 

 the productivity of your arable lands. A few score men have been 

 chosen as leaders. The multitude will not — cannot — be expected 

 to go faster nor farther than those who have been placed at the 

 head. 



The question is pertinent because I address a large body of gentle- 

 men who have been selected because of their fitness to manage the 

 various agricultural associations, with the sole view of teaching 

 the people, trusting thereby to promote and improve the agriculture 

 of the State. You are to originate, plan, and, so far as possible, 

 see to it that your plans are carried out. You hold the power, 

 since you are organized, hence the private individual is not likely 

 to originate or push any new scheme how^ever worthy. If you do 

 not act promptly and energetically you simply block the way. 



What is the character and extent of the work the State has 

 handed over to this and similar organizations and the teachers at 

 your agricultural colleges? It may assist us in our efforts to under- 

 stand the responsibilities, if the number and value of the farms and 

 the chief agricultural ju'oducts of your State be set forth in figures. 



According to the last census there were, in your Commonwealth, 

 224.248 cultivated farms. Premising that there arc as many fami- 

 lies as farms and that an average family consists of five persons, 



