264 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



visits to various districts, and the systematic visitation of farms in dif- 

 ferent regions would be made. As a result the most pressing problems 

 would be discovered and material and opportunity obtained for further 

 work. The methods of procedure proposed are as follows: 



(1) It is proposed to give instruction in the serious diseases of crops 

 by local meetings and by field surveys, wherever the localization of the 

 industry is such as to make these efficient. For example, instruction 

 and demonstrations in control of celery diseases can readily be under- 

 taken in each of the great celery districts and these courses of instruc- 

 tion and demonstrations there will reach the great majority of the 

 growers. The other crops are more or less localized and afford somewhat 

 similar possibilities of economy of effort in reaching the growers con- 

 cerned. 



For much of the work the system of farm demonstration will be emr 

 ployed. This will consist in the establishment of demonstrations on 

 particular farms of strategic location, combined with careful supervi- 

 sion to insure as successful outcome as possible. For example, in 

 cucumber diseases, it is now known that a careful rogueing of the fields 

 by one familiar with the early stages of such diseases as wilt and mosaic 

 will do much to insure a crop. The selection in certain pickle growing 

 districts of farms for this purpose, will demonstrate the value of this 

 treatment. 



Further there are possibilities in working through the county agents 

 of co-ordinating and enlarging such of their work in plant disease con- 

 trol as should be a part of good farm practice. This work would be 

 so constituted as to relieve the countj'^ agent rather than to add to his 

 burdens. For example, in the case of a fight against bean diseases, a 

 demonstration will be planned in which safe seed, etc., will be planted 

 for contrast with the ordinary run of seed. The plans will be formulat- 

 ed and carried out in the counties interested. The leader will visit 

 these county men and personally assist in the establishment of the 

 demonstration. The collection and co-ordination of results is also con- 

 templated. 



(2) The selection of 10 to 20 farms representative of the different 

 sections of the state and its major crop interests, to which regular 

 visits may be made during the growing season, the purpose of these 

 visits being to keep in touch through these agencies with any peculiar 

 local plant pathological problem and to forsee epidemics. 



(3) The handling of correspondence relative to plant disease con- 

 trol in Michigan. This seems to include diagnosis, recommendation 

 and recording of occurrence. Where conditions warrant, the recom- 

 mendations will be followed up by letter or visit to find value of treat- 

 ment or cause of failure. 



(4) The establishment of specialized mailing lists of growers in- 

 terested in special crops. These men will receive special extension ser- 

 vice letters which may be issued frwm time to time. Such lists would 

 be available iu sending the publications of the scientific staff. Further, 

 the establishment of suitable collections, charts, lantern slides, etc., to 

 promote the work is proposed. 



(5) Cooperation with existing agencies of agricultural instruction, 

 county agents, schools and normals, in giving demonstrations, and field 



