340 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



plan of this organization is such that it places him in immediate and direct contact 

 with the individual desiring his services, and conversely, makes it possible for the 

 individual to be in touch with the adviser at all times. This organization, made up 

 of ihe more progressive farmers of the county, is often an asset to the commissioner 

 in his work, as will be considered later. 



Considering the horticultural commissioner, the office was created, through neces- 

 sity, for a specific purpose, namely : Hie protection of the agricultural interests of the 

 state, as a whole, by preventing the introduction of serious insects, plant diseases, 

 animal and weed pests from without and by enforcing concerted action against, and 

 preventing the further dissemination of the pests already introduced and established 

 within. The qualifications of many of the men entrusted with the proper application 

 of the horticultural laws are equivalent to those required of a farm adviser. All of 

 them are qualified by previous training and experience along the particular lines 

 concerned. While the work of the horticultural commission is based upon legal 

 power to enforce action by the individual for the benefit of the majority, be often 

 finds it advisable in the interests of permanent results, to act the role of adviser 

 rather than police officer. The functions of the two offices, therefore, stand out 

 about as follows : 



The work of the farm adviser is strictly educational ; his field of operations 

 unlimited in scope but limited in application to those who desire his services. The 

 results are dependent upon organized action by the farmers of the county. The work 

 of the horticultural commissioner is based upon police duty. His field of operation is 

 legally limited to the protection of agricultural interests of the state from serious 

 pests. His results are intended to be based on forced action, but are permanent 

 only when obtained through cooperation with the individual. 



In a certain sense, then, the duties of the two offices are similar, in that they 

 depend for their best results on the education of the farmer to the better methods 

 of farm operation and management. The bulk of the operations of the commissioner 

 is being confined to one phase of the question, the protection of insect, plant disease 

 pests, etc., in which he is a specialist, and which in itself constitutes a very small 

 part of the field open to the adviser. A thorough understanding between the offices 

 should prevent any duplication of work and a deference to the opinion of the proper 

 office, in matters' relating to the larger problems coming under their jurisdiction, 

 would not injure but would promote the value of both offices to the county. This 

 brings us down to the question of the benefits to be derived by each office from a 

 thorough understanding of the other, such understanding working directly to the 

 benefit of the county and the state as a whole. One unavoidable restriction placed 

 on the energies of the farm adviser is that he may only give his services where 

 requested. This means that he will have considerable difficulty in reaching many 

 of those who are most in need of these services. There is many a farmer today who 

 is like the man asked to sign a petition requesting the abolition of capital punishment 

 in his state; in refusing, he replied, •'Capital punishment was good enough for my 

 father and grandfather, and I guess it is good enough for me." The old farm 

 methods and ideas were good enough for his father and grandfather and far be it 

 from him to call in a college graduate to tell him how to run his place, and yet the 

 commissioner visiting him in the course of his regular duties may often find the 

 opportunity to tactfully do farm adviser work which otherwise would not be accom- 

 plished. Cooperation between the two offices may eventually number this grower 

 among the members of the farm bureau and among the progressive farmers of the 



county. , . , 



Is there a commissioner here who has sufficient inspectors to keep in continual 

 touch with the crop and pest conditions of his county? I know that I have not. The 

 farm adviser visits every section of the county at least once a month and therefore 

 is placed in direct touch with field conditions. Cooperation between the offices would 

 make it possible for the commissioner to obtain valuable information necessary to the 

 proper conduct of his office, which in the stress of other duties might have gone 

 unnoticed. This may not be of importance in the smaller counties, but I can assure 

 you that it is in the large ones. . . 



Should we desire to start a campaign against a certain pest in a certain locality, 

 it is necessary that we have the backing of the representative growers of that 

 district. Cooperating with the farm adviser movement we have at hand an organized 

 body of men desired in that locality, with whom we can meet and outline our 

 plans With their backing, successful results are assured. As stated before, we 

 are specialists along this particular line of pest control, and I believe that any 

 farm adviser who has the interest of his work at heart will be only too glad to be 

 relieved of such work that he may devote his time to those more important problems 



