Farm Bureau Work in New York State for 1914 2 121 



The bureau has conducted a farmers' cxchanj^e for the dissemination 

 of infomiation concerning farms for sale or rent, Hve stock or other com- 

 modities for sale, and for securing hired help. 



Assistance was given in starting one boys' potato club, in the county 

 fair stock judging contest, in starting the annual stock judging contest 

 at Alfred with the cooperation of the Department of Animal Husbandry 

 at Alfred University, and in organizing the Genesee Valley Cow-Testing 

 Association. 



From the county standpoint, the manager assisted in organizing the 

 Allegany-Steuben Holstein Chib, and through the Pomona Grange secured 

 the county cooperative committee, whose object is to find out ways and 

 means of decreasing the cost of farm supplies and of better marketing. 



A systematic study of the county statistics has been made, and a cir- 

 cular is being prepared dealing with the agriculture of the county. 



Conferences have been held for the purpose of attacking the larger 

 problems of the county. A farm management survey has been arranged 

 for. Definite projects for next year have been written out and approved 

 by the State director. Arrangements have been made to cooperate with 

 the Department of Farm Crops of the State College in working out dem- 

 onstrations in the county to improve the humus content of the soils, the 

 top-dressing of meadows, and the running of a four-years rotation. 



vSome work has been done to develop the farm bureau association. 

 Town committees have been organized in a number of towns. The plan 

 is to secure one leader, or committeemen, with the township as the unit 

 for forming a commiittee. This committee is to work with the manager 

 on the problems of that particular town, cooperating in tests and arranging 

 for demonstrations. These committees will also assist in conducting a 

 membership camjDaign. 



The work of the bureau for the past season has been partly educational, 

 but in the main preliminary in character. A general as well as a detailed 

 survey has shown the principal problems, and has placed the bureau 

 before the public; now the primary work will be to attack those problems 

 that are vital to all the county. F. C. Smith, 



Farm Bureau Manager 0} Allegany County. 



BROOME COUNTY 



The activities of the farm bureau in Broome County may be classified as 

 personal problems, demonstrations, agricultural contests, meetings, and 

 organization projects. 



personal problems 



Certain farmers have made repeated use of the farm bureau as a source 

 of personal help, through requests for farm visits or through calls at 

 the office. During the days of winter and early spring of this year there 

 was an increase of fifty in the number of persons who called at the farm 

 bureau office, compared with the niunber who called during the same 

 period the year before. There were days when little could be accom- 

 plished but attending to the personal problems of callers. 



To assist in giving information, bulletins and agricultural books are 

 kept in the office, and some are lent to individuals. A traveling agri- 

 cultural library of twenty-five volumes was kept here for six months, 



