64 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Considerable time has been jjiven to helpinij select the men for county 

 positions. It is also my duly to aid the men in stai-tiuj; theii- work, 

 1<» visit ihem in their counties and give them, whatever assistance I 

 can. Two conferences of the men have been held at the college for 

 the ]»uri»ose of ])lannin.ir the work and for coiuiccting it as closely as 

 possible Mith the aclixilies of the college. 



The counties in which there are now agriculturists do not give an 

 ade(iuate idea of the demand for these men as there are twelve counties 

 that have formed good organizations, held meetings in various ]iarts 

 of the county for explanation of the Mork and raised considerable funds 

 for financing it. In addition to the counties now having agriculturists 

 and those that have organized and raised funds, there are thirty- 

 five that have applied for information as to methods of organizing and 

 for assistance by a personal visit to the county to exi)lain the work. 



Upon assuming his work the county agriculturist is directed to make 

 a ])reliminary survey of the count}', studying it from every angle with 

 a view to acquiring as thorough a knowledge as ]>ossible of its his- 

 tory, geogra]>hy, climate, soils, crops, animals, animal products, types 

 of farming and markets. From federal and state reports and all other 

 available sources of information as well as from his own preliminary 

 surveys, he makes an inventory of the agricultural conditions of the 

 county as the starting point for his future activities. 



The next problem of the county agriculturist is the methods of 

 reaching the farmers; these may be divided into two classes: (1) the 

 visit to the fanner on his own farm, and (2) the community or grou]) 

 method. The county is too large a unit for the county agi-iculturist to 

 confine himself to the first method if he would reach many of the 

 farmers and be of greatest service to the people. In most of the counties 

 now having agriculturists there are more than three thousand farms 

 and it Avonld require from three to five years to visit carefully all of 

 the farmers. By su])i)lementing the method of personal visitation with 

 the group or community method, it is possible for the county repre- 

 sentative to come into fairly close touch with the lU'oblems of all of 

 the farmers and to be of considerable service to all. For this purpose, 

 a farm bureau is organized. It is composed of local organizations from 

 all sections of the county. The representatives of the local organiza- 

 tions together Avith the officers of the county organization constitute 

 the cabinet of the county agriculurist. ^^'ith llieiii he cc»iifers and 

 upon them he must depend to a large extent for information and ad- 

 vice as to the needs of the dilYereut sections of the county and for as- 

 sistance in ai-ranging conferences with small groups of farmers on the 

 farms, at the school house or other ]»laee of assembly. At such con 

 ferences there can be careful consideration of plans to be pursued, 

 methods already in use or results achieved. The community or grou]) 

 method also includes the inlluence which the agriculturist may have 

 through the scIkjoIs, boys' ami girls' clubs, churches, farmers' organiza- 

 tions, commercial associations, the county V. M. (\ A., the i>latform and 

 the press. 



In meeting the many jiroblems arising in llie agriculture of a c(»unty. 

 the functions of the county agriculturist nuiy be investigatiimal, ad- 

 ministrative or educational, but in all of these activities he has the 

 assistance of others. lie is llic secretai\ of ilie agricultural interests 



