EXTENSION DIVISION. 249 



22 farmers asked to have drainage jdots of various sizes raugino- from 7 

 to 25 acres put in on their farms. Also, 08 farmers asked to have their 

 farms surveyed for future drainage systems. Two denuuistratiou meetings 

 have been lield in the fields, which were attended iby aibout 100 people. 

 Publicity' articles were run in the county papers regarding the work. 



Thirteen days were spent in testing the tile of the various manufac- 

 turers of the State. Many interesting ])oints were brouglit out of this 

 test which will serve as a basis for future studv. 



» 



SUMMARY. 



Xumbe'r of days spent in office 52 



Number of days spent in tile testing 13 



Xnmber of demons'tration meetings held 1.3 



Attendance ,381 



Number of Lecture meetings hebl 38 



Attendance 2512 



Nunil)er farms visited 1 0:5 



LAND CI.EARIXG. 



Agitation for land clearing has been carried on for some time in Mich- 

 igr.n, but it was not until August 1, 1021, that the efforts were crystal- 

 lized and the Michigan Agricultural College established a land clearing 

 section with L. F. Livingston in charge aud A. J. McAdams as assistant. 

 Due to the early growth of the work, Geo. Amundson was employed in 

 March as an assistant. The first problem that confronted this office \vas 

 a general survey of the laiid clearing coiulitions of the State with special 

 reference to the Upper Peninsula where more cleared land was essential. 

 The survey, brought out several facts regarding the agricultural situation 

 of the Upjier J*eninsula. 1. Land clearing with its problems is the most 

 important question facing the farmers in the cut-over sections. 2. The 

 average of cleared acres per farm is too small to make economical and 

 successful farming. 3. The rate of clearing, based on a ten year average 

 was one acre per farm per year, much too slow for the development of 

 resources at hand. 4. The reasons for this slow rate of clearing by the 

 settlers already on the cut over regions, were found to 'be several ; lack of 

 knowledge of the economical methods of clearing, wasting explosives 

 through improper handling and buying, too many accidents due to im- 

 proper use of explosives, aud a lack of interest and understanding of the 

 problems of land clearing on the part of the bankers and Inisiness men. 



Land clearing in the cut over regions of Michigan, while ordinarily 

 classed as reclamation work, differs from most reclamation projects. 

 Here the soil, rainfall and clinurte are naturally provided and adapted 

 to agriculture. The sole obstacle is the brush and stumps which must 

 be removed before the land can be tilled. Every farmer in this territory 

 is confronted with the same problem, and every farmer, without exception, 

 can be benefited financially and socially by an intensive campaign in 

 better, quicker and safer methods of clearing. 



In this respect, land clearing differs from other reclamation work in 

 the State. It is a problem wbicih inust be worked out "b}' every settler and 

 some program is absolutely essential to take care of the farmers now 

 developing new homes, and new men who will eventually develop the rest 



