6 CIRCULAR NO. 117, BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY. 



developing and applying through publications the demonstration idea 

 in support of its propaganda work. Twenty-five years ago we found 

 it necessary to inaugurate demonstration work in connection with the 

 treatment of various plant diseases, and the same general plan, with 

 such necessary variations and improvements as have been called for 

 by changes in our conception of work, is being followed to-day in 

 connection with a great many of our projects. 



It would seem, therefore, that our three main functions, our three 

 main groups of activities, are research, experimentation, and demon- 

 stration. The last may assume many forms, but its primary object 

 is to bring home to the man on the land an object lesson in such a 

 way that he is given a new point of view and is brought to a realiza- 

 tion of the fact that he has that within him necessary to help him- 

 self — to help himself in the reorganization of his farm, in the re- 

 shaping of his rotations, in the introduction and utilization of new 

 crops, in the prevention of diseases of various kinds, or in whatever 

 way he may consider it necessary to make himself a better farmer. 



To make this work most effective I believe it must be coordinated 

 with the extension service of the colleges in the respective States 

 wherever this is practicable. I believe, furthermore, that the proper 

 agencies to reach the last man on the farm are the agricultural 

 colleges through various forms of extension service that will even- 

 tually be developed. That there is a promising and important field 

 here is patent to every thinking man, but as yet it is not organized. 

 There are those, I know, who believe that the farmer can not be 

 materially helped by such means, but the fact that he has been and is 

 being helped is so self-evident that further argument on this point 

 is unnecessary. Just now the demand is pressing for this kind of 

 work, and for the moment the further need for research and experi- 

 mentation may be somewhat obscured. I see no cause for alarm in 

 the situation, as it will right itself when the people fully understand 

 it. The people are demanding help, and if it is to be given through 

 extension service this work should be organized and supported. 



It may be well at this point to call attention to a report of the 

 committee ajDpointed by the Association of Agricultural Colleges and 

 Experiment Stations to consider the whole question of extension 

 service in its relation to helping the farmer. The last report was 

 made at the meeting of the association held at Atlanta. The com- 

 mittee groups its general work in extension service under three heads: 

 (1) Systematic instruction, (2) informal teaching, and (3) organiza- 

 tion of rural communities. Under each of these heads are several 

 subheads dealing with such questions as the movable school, the 

 correspondence course, the lecture and reading course, the study club, 

 boys' and girls' clubs, conventions and lectures, farmers' institutes 



[Cir. 117] 



