RELATION OE EXTENSION AGENCIES TO FARM PRACTICE. 25 



SUMMARY. 



Of the 3,698 farmers personally interviewed in this survey, about 



I fanner in every L.5 visited takes a farm paper, 1 in 2.3 receives 

 agricultural bulletins, 1 in 3.3 attends farmers' institutes. 1 in 6.5 

 belongs to some agricultural organization, 1 in 14.5 writes to agri- 

 cultural institutions for advice, 1 in 23.8 has a few farm books, 1 in 



II gets persona] instruction from county demonstration agents in 

 the South, and 1 in 159 gets personal instruction in the North and 

 West. One farmer in every 2.3 stated that none of the above agencies 

 was helpful in his farming. 



Of the farmers receiving bulletins, 48 per cent put into practice 

 something learned from them, 54 per cent of those attending insti- 

 tutes put into practice suggestions made there, while 79 per cent 

 of those receiving instruction from demonstration agents in the 

 South put into practice the instructions given. 



The replies from 4<'><) farmers who received agricultural bulletins, 

 attended farmers' institutes, and took farm papers indicate that 21 

 per cent of this number favor the bulletins as the most helpful source 

 of information on farming, 14 per cent favor the farmers' institute, 

 while 66 per cent favor the farm papers. 



In the case of the 62 farmers who received instruction from county 

 agricultural agents, took farm papers, and received bulletins, practi- 

 cally 11 per cent favored the bulletins, 24 per cent favored the dem- 

 onstration agents, while 52 per cent favored the farm papers. So 

 far as this survey is an indication, the agricultural press would 

 seem to be at present the most efficient of our agricultural extension 

 agencies in reaching the farmer. 

 [Cir. 117] 



o 



