96 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



out a defiiiile {ind detailed plan (>f procedure so that all fruit organiza- 

 tions throughout the ^tate will be woiking along similar lines. 



In addition to working with communities where the fruit interests are 

 already organized it is the plan of the specialist to work outside the reg- 

 ular fruit belt and stimulate interest in other sections where fruit grow- 

 ing is promising. 



The following represents the activities of the specialist since taking 

 up the work: 



Number. 



Attend- 

 ance. 



Lectures (groups, associations, etc.) 17 



Demonstrations (pruning, spraying, etc.) 51 



Farm visits (inspections, etc.) ! 102 



Days actually devoted to field work I 83 



1,085 

 658 



Total attendance 1 ,743 



REPOET OF EXTENSION WORK WITH POTATOES AND 



VEGETABLES. 



BY C. W. WAID. 



Potatoes: The extension work with potatoes consists of an organized 

 and cooperative effort to improve conditions connected with the growing 

 and handling of the potato crop in Michigan. The State Potato Asso- 

 ciation is being used as a means of organizing the growers. The local 

 organizations formed previous to June 30, 1915, have in most fases been 

 continued and a few new local associations have been formed. 



The work during the year has been carried on almost entirely in co- 

 operation with county agents. The large increase in the number of 

 county agents has extended the work to so many counties that the Ex- 

 tension Specialists were obliged to confine their work very largely to 

 those counties. The work can also be done much more efficiently where 

 county agents are employed. The following lines of work are being em- 

 phasized : 



^standardization of Varieties: One of the vital needs in Michigan is 

 few^er varieties of potatoes. To meet this need the members of local or- 

 ganizations are urged to select and grow one variety in a community. 

 Some of the organizations have taken this step and others will before 

 another season. 



Seed Treatment: Many more growers treated their seed potatoes in 

 the spring of 1916 than heretofore as a result of the encouragement they 

 received through this work. 



Seed Inspection and Selection: The field inspection work was car- 

 ried on in 1916 much the same ae in 1915 except that the work of the Ex- 



