DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 39 



tVas urged. Six Breeders' Associations have been organized, viz: Fair- 

 view, (Guernsey) ; Menominee, (Holstein) ; Birch Creek, (Jerseys) ; 

 Harrisville, (Brown Swiss) ; Ontonagon, (Holstein) ; Dundee, (Hol- 

 stein). 



I have aided several farmers in getting started with herds of pure 

 bred cattle and in getting pure bred sires of which I have no record. 



One-day Farmers' Institutes were attended by me in Alpena, Craw- 

 ford, Menominee, Delta, Dickinson, Iron and Schoolcraft counties. Two- 

 day institutes were also attended in Ionia, Monroe, and several other 

 counties. 



I assisted in the one week high school lecture courses at Union City, 

 Watervliet and Hillsdale giving two lectures per day on live stock topics. 

 Also attended the Menominee County Agricultural School Short Course 

 and gave lectures on live stock and dairying. 



I attended the Western Michigan Fair at Grand Rapids as Superin- 

 tendent of Cattle and also assisted Prof. Anderson at the State Fair 

 in dairy demonstration work. 



Considerable study has been made and notes and photographs taken 

 to show the condition of the cut-over lands of Michigan and to get data 

 on the cost of clearing the same. The last few weeks of the year have 

 been spent in superintending the clearing of land in the Upper Penin- 

 sula. This work is being done with Finnish laborers and considerable 

 experience and data are being secured on methods and cost of clearing 

 in that particular region." 



The real value of the various forms of extension work cannot be esti- 

 mated by the number of organizations formed or the total membership. 

 Nor is the character of the organization the determining factor. It is 

 now quite apparent that, where interest is stimulated even in one direc- 

 tion only, this eventually spreads to all lines of farm activity and even 

 results in improved conditions of rural life. For example, we shall give 

 a brief statement of the results of the organization in one locality. The 

 members w^ere pledged for one specific purpose only, viz : improved cattle 

 breeding. Soon, however, they were figuring on rations and purchas- 

 ing cotton seed meal; records of the production of individual cows were 

 being kept; silos were being erected; commercial fertilizers were being 

 used ; improved varieties of grain grown and the general horizon widened 

 by extending the scope of reading in the home. The power of the ex- 

 ample of members of these organizations in the community is bound to 

 exert a powerful influence for the improvement of Michigan agriculture. 



Respectfullv submitted, 



R. S. SHAW, 

 Dean of Agriculture. 



East Lansing, June 30, 1912. 



