64 RURAL RECONSTRUCTION 



the War, so says a recent official publication, the farm bureau has now 

 become what it was hoped that it might ultimately become, the 

 recognised agency through which the State Agricultural College and 

 the United States Office of Extension Work Department of Agricul- 

 ture will co-operate in all extension work in the county, whether that 

 work be with farm crops, farm animals or the problems of the home 

 and community life. Instead of being merely an aid to the county 

 agent work, it has become a local institution, educational in cha- 

 racter, for administering and directing the extension work in agricul- 

 ture and home economics, in the county, and for participating in 

 plans for the inauguration and execution of such work. 



To co-ordinate all such services, this service — at the head of which 

 stands in every county the State College, of which kind of institution 

 under the Smith-Lever Act every county possesses one, supported 

 under the Act, by votes from the Federal Exchequer as well as by 

 State funds — special provision is made. Thus there is in nearly every 

 State a county agent leader, who stands at the head of the county 

 agent service, and serves as link between it and the State College. 

 The county agents, whose number is in some States considerable — 

 thus Mobile has 114, Kansas 105, Illinois 102 —form associations, 

 which meet periodically and talk over matters. In like manner the 

 State College stands in regular communication with the farm bureau. 

 And the Federal Department keeps in touch with the entire 

 machinery through the State Relations Service. Notwithstanding 

 such official supervision, which is intended rather to help, where 

 necessary, than to interfere, the organisation as a whole is kept 

 thoroughly democratic, matters being left to the " self-determination " 

 of the local elected bodies, though the declared tendency now is to 

 relieve private pockets of the tribute which they have thus far 

 willingly paid to the public service and put the entire burden upon 

 the public purse. In the year 1918-19 private contributions 

 amounted to $767,946,* in addition to $1,006,114 from farmers' 

 co-operative demonstration funds out of a total of $10,087,240. 



* The complete figures are these : — 



$1,006,114 from the farmers' co-operative demonstration funds. 



$418,589 from the bureaus and offices of the Department. 

 $2,580,000 from the Federal Smith -Lever Fund. 

 $2,100,000 from the States ditto. 



$746,073 appropriated by State legislation. 

 $2,347,219 from county funds. 



$221,349 from State college funds. 



$767,946 from miscellaneous sources. 



$10,078,240 



