314 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



four field agents as assistants in county agent's work, two men and 

 two women assistants for the home demonstration and club work, 

 and such clerical force as is necessary to properly conduct the corre- 

 spondence and other office duties. 



As provided by the extension act visitations were made at each of 

 the State agricultural colleges to determine whether the provisions 

 of this law were being properly and efficiently carried out, and a re- 

 port of each examination submitted. In general the provisions of the 

 law were being properly carried out. The few irregularities found 

 were chiefly the result of a lack of a clear understanding of the mean- 

 ing of some of its features. 



A report covering the progress of the work and the results ob- 

 tained in each of the 15 Southern States has been prepared and sub- 

 mitted to the Director of the States Eelations Service to be included 

 in the report to Congress as required by the extension act, also a gen- 

 eral report embracing the extension work of the entire 15 Southern 

 States. This general report contained a brief outline of the history 

 of the work, plan of organization in the different States, and the 

 results obtained in the first year's operation. 



The director of extension in each State is assisted in the adminis- 

 tration by an assistant director or State agent, district agents, and a 

 sufficient clerical force efficiently to handle the office work. The State- 

 agent, assisted by the district agents, has supervision of the county 

 agents' work. There is usually an editor whose business it is to look 

 after the publication and distribution of literature for the use of the 

 extension workers. The publications for extension work are pre- 

 pared by members of the extension or college forces, the subject mat- 

 ter being approved by the heads of division to which it pertains. 



COUNTY AGENTS AND BOYS' CLUB WORK. 



The general plan of work in the Southern States is to place in every 

 county a well-trained man with practical farm experience as county 

 agricultural agent. He is the joint representative of the Department 

 and of the college of agriculture. It is planned ultimately to place 

 a well-trained experienced woman in every county to have charge of 

 the home economics or home demonstration work for women" to cor- 

 respond with the county agent work for men. Under these two 

 leaders the work of the county is organized. They supervise and 

 assist in conducting a large number of demonstrations on the farms 

 and in the homes throughout the county. The person being in- 

 structed agrees to do all of the work and in this way gets the practical 

 lesson to be conveyed. The agents also disseminate a large amount 

 of information by assisting other forces in holding meetings and 

 giving counsel and advice generally when requested by individuals or 

 communities. They assist in the organization of communities into 

 neighborhood clubs for the study of problems relating to the farm, 

 thehome, the school, or other questions of community interest. They 

 also organize and conduct the work of boys' and girls' clubs. 



Soon after the introduction of the county agent plan of carrying 

 on agricultural extension work, it was found that many farmers could 

 be most easilv interested in better methods of corn growing through 

 their sons. This fact, coupled with the desire of the department to 

 educate the boys or future farmers in better methods of agriculture, 



