EXPERIMENT STATION REPORTS. 301 



report. These tours took the usual form of visits to five or six prac- 

 tical dairy farms where up-to-date methods ami equipment were used. 

 The main topics were discussed ''The Herd Sire'', "The Individual Cow" 

 and "Economical Feeding". Branch, Gratiot and Hillsdale counties 

 were covered and considerable interest in better dairying resulted. 



BREEDERS AND DAIRYMENS MEETING 



Local and State Breeders' Associations have shown considerable activ- 

 ity during the past five months. Members of the Extension force have 

 met with a total of twenty-four Associations during this period. The 

 Dairy Extension program has been presented at these meetings, and 

 the closest co-operation between breed organizations and the Extension 

 force is making for rapid progress in general dairy work. 



EXHIBITS 



Exhibits have not played an important i)art in the program of work 

 to date. Due to the rather extensive exhibit put on at the Michigan 

 State Fair by the U. S. Department of Agriculture all eftorts along 

 this line were abandoned. Members of the Extension Department assisted 

 with the Government exhibit during the State Fair week. One exhibit 

 worthy of attention was staged in October at the National Dairy Show 

 through the co-operation of the American Guernsey Cattle Club and 

 the Extension Specialists. Five grade Guernsey females ranging from 

 one-half blood to thirty-one thirtj'-seconds and one of the three pure 

 bred bulls owned by the Leer Guernsey Breeders Association of Alpena 

 County were selected by the Specialists as an educational exhibit to 

 show the result of fourteen years of upgrading work through pure bred 

 bulls owned in an Association. The exhibit was commented on very 

 favorably by a large number of people and apparently was a success in 

 every way. The American Guernse}- Cattle Club financed the exhibit. 



JUDGING 



During the months of August, September and October a considerable 

 portion of the specialists' time is required in judging work at County 

 and regional fairs. Twenty-four such shows were judged during the 

 past season. In doing this work an attempt has always been made to 

 make it as much of an educational feature as possible. In this sense 

 the expenditure of time is possibly justified. 



MISCELLANEOUS 



Many lines of work not included under the al)0ve headings have 

 received attention. Chief among these being the Boys' and Girls' Club 

 camps and meetings where instruction was given along dairy lines to 

 club members, community meetings, farm visits, etc. 



PERSONNEL AND ORGANIZATION OF FORCE 



The personnel of the Dairy Extension force has undergonje some 

 changes during the time covered by this rejjort. Mr. J. A. Waldron 

 was compelled on account of ill health to give up the work on July 1st. 



