Farm Bureau Work in New York State for 1914 2 171 



it if the trees must be removed. This is cited simply as an example of 

 the many activities of the farm bureau manager that are not reported 

 to the State department. 



From the first, the bureau has fostered the idea of cooperation among the 

 fruit growers of the county, and has been instrumental in the formation 

 of three cooperative associations. Growers at two more places in the county 

 have expressed their desire to receive assistance in organizing associations 

 next year. 



During November and December, in cooperation with the United States 

 Department of Agriculture and the State College of Agriculture, a survey 

 of 92 farms was made in one township. This data will be a basis for the 

 future work of the farm bureau manager, and he considers it the most 

 important community work that has been done. At first it received some 

 opposition froin the farmers, but now that they understand it, they are 

 heartily in sympathy with it and see some of the possibilities that lie in 

 this analysis *of farmers' problems. It has been one of the chief factors in 

 strengthening the farm bureau work with the farmers. 



That the farm bureau is valued and is being used more and more by the 

 farmers of the county, is shown by the following: During the first ten 

 months, the manager visited 145 fanners on their farms; during the next 

 twelve months, 360. During the first ten months, 70 office calls on the 

 manager were made by farmers, and 40 calls by letter; during the next 

 twelve months, 315 office calls were made, and 425 calls by letter. 



E. H. Anderson, 

 Farm Bureau Manager of Niagara County. 



OSWEGO COUNTY 



This report of the farm bureau work covers the period from January 

 I, 1 9 13, to December 31, 19 14. That portion of which the writer has 

 had personal charge, dates from September i. 



During the year 383 farmers were visited on their own farms, and 45 meet- 

 ings of various kinds were attended and addressed on agricultural topics. 

 The total attendance at these meetings was 3825, or an average attend- 

 ance of 8 5 . Three hundred and twenty personal letters and a number of 

 circular letters have been sent out. Five circular letters on timely subjects, 

 such as selecting seed corn and the new apple packing and grading law, 

 have been published in all of the local papers of the county. The annual 

 report has just been completed, and 250 copies of it have been distributed 

 to the members of the farm bureau association and to the supervisors 

 of the county. 



A supply of all the available bulletins issued by United States Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture is kept in this office for general distribution, and 

 350 copies of these publications have been distributed during the past 

 year. 



Considerable help has been secured from the State Department of 

 Agriculture, the State College of Agriculture, and the experim.ent stations 

 at Geneva and at Cornell for demonstrations and meetings. 



Twenty-six farmers have started fields of alfalfa, ranging in size from 

 one-fourth acre to four acres, The results at present are very encouraging. 



