272 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



An attendance of more than 2,000 farmers from Missouri 

 and many other states — the record for 1914 — speaks volumes for 

 the Missouri farmers, the work of agricultural education and the 

 institutions representing such education. But one thousand 

 boys from Missouri farms, representing the young blood of the 

 State, will have a far greater influence on Farmers' Week and 

 what it stands for than the same number of grown-up men. 



The question may legitimately be asked, "Where can we 

 fmd a thousand boys and, having found them, what inducements 

 would bring so many to our State agricultural institutions?" 

 The answer is easy. Thirteen Missouri counties today have 

 farm advisers, men who are devoting their entire time to the 

 development and promotion of improved agriculture and better 

 rural life. They all admit a more eager response from the boys 

 and girls of the farm than from the older persons. It is unreason- 

 able then to believe that these counties in one way or another, 

 through contests and prizes of different kinds led by the farm 

 advisers, could send fifty of their choice youth to the Farmers' 

 Week school? We do not think this is unreasonable, for this 

 year, 1914, Johnson county with but little effort, under Mr. 

 Long's direction, brought twenty-two boys to attend the school. 



On the other hand, this work is by no means limited to 

 counties having farm advisers. Every county in the State 

 could, by a simple series of contests, conducted or planned by 

 some public-spirited citizen, send from four to ten boys to the 

 Farmers' Week school at Columbia. In this way the one 

 thousand mark could soon be reached. 



Having found the boys and arranged for their expenses, what 

 would be their reception at Columbia? A resume of the boys' 

 department this year will give the plan and an idea of the work 

 as started. This was the first school of its kind ever held in 

 Missouri and, to our knowledge, ever held in the United States. 

 Nine counties were represented as follows: Johnson county, 

 22 boys; Buchanan county, 15 boys; Marion county, 12 boys; 

 Adair county, 5 boys; Pettis county, 3 boys; Dade county, 

 2 boys. Five of these counties have farm advisers. One, Adair, 

 has not. Any boy from twelve to sixteen years of age was 

 eligible to attend the school. 



A special daily program, consisting of lectures, demonstra- 

 tions, contests and amusements, was given. The program 

 follows: 



