TEACHING THE CULTIVATORS 65 



The movement, once started, went rapidly forwards. In the 

 northern and western States alone, which form one of the two 

 sections into which the country is divided for administrative pur- 

 poses under the Department of Agriculture (the south forming the 

 other), from July 1st, 1917, to July 1st, 1918, the number of county 

 agents employed increased from 542 to 1,136. The total number 

 for the whole of the United States was then 2,513. In all, at that 

 time, in the said section 1,257 counties were served by county or 

 district agents. The number of counties represented full 80 per 

 cent, of the agricultural counties and answered for more than 95 per 

 cent, of the total agricultural production of the 33 northern and 

 western States. The 1,136 county agents had 223 assistant agents 

 by their side, with 42 assistant county agent organisers to take part 

 in the organising campaign and supervise the work of new agents. 

 Under various heads 936 employees have to be added, so that the 

 entire force stood at 2,069 in the northern and western States alone. 

 On January 31st, 1918, President Wilson could announce that at that 

 time the number of extension workers under the Smith-Lever Act 

 had grown to 5,500 men and women, working regularly in the various 

 counties, and taking to the farmers, large and small, the latest scien- 

 tific and practical information, and that by the side of these paid 

 officials stood a large host, whose number could not be precisely 

 ascertained, " very effective voluntary organisers among the farmers 

 themselves who are more and more learning the best methods of 

 co-operation and the best methods of putting to practical use the 

 assistance derived." The number of farm bureaus stood on 

 June 30th, 1918, at 791, with 290,000 members. The formation of 

 such bodies on the new lines was begun only in 1916. 



The difference between the corresponding Canadian movement, 

 which is still in its youth, being evidently derived from the " Ameri- 

 can," and that of the United States are only slight and mainly on 

 the outside. The county agent is there styled " county," or else 

 " agricultural representative " — the Province of Manitoba has no 

 " counties." And he is nominated and paid by the Province, with 

 additions from Dominion funds, entailing Dominion supervision. 

 There are as yet no " farm bureaus." But in its essence, the move- 

 ment is identical and it appears to be producing identical results, 

 equally appreciated and welcomed. 



It has seemed to me in place and desirable to enter pretty fully 

 into this " extension " movement, with its organisation of " agents," 

 " assistant agents," " farm bureaus," and whatever else there 

 pertains to it, because it appears to me so full of promise, not for 



R.E. F 



