26 THE COUNTY AGENT'S SERVICES 



determined upon. This means first a general meeting or 

 preferably a series of meetings to discuss these plans and 

 to fully inform every farmer of what it is necessary for 

 him to do to make the plan effective so far as he is con- 

 cerned. This shotald be preceded and followed by articles 

 in the local paper announcing the meeting and its purposes 

 and describing what was agreed to there or the results. 

 This will help to make known the details of the program 

 plans to those not present at the meeting and review it for 

 those who were. 



It is essential that every one concerned fully understand 

 the plans if they are to benefit from them. A specialist 

 may be present at one or all of these meetings to discuss 

 technical points and to teach methods, as for example, a 

 dairy specialist to discuss and help along a clean milk 

 campaign ; perhaps by showing the nature, cause and effect 

 of bacteria in milk and how they may be reduced to a 

 minimum. 



The third and most important step in using a program 

 is getting action on the plan. The first and second steps 

 may be well taken, but unless they are matured in the 

 third and fourth most of their value may be wasted. 

 Action may take many forms. If the proposal is made as 

 a recommendation in a lecture or demonstration, such as 

 soil improvement by the use of lime, or increasing winter 

 egg yield by the better balancing of rations and use of 

 lights, action must consist in the reaction produced in the 

 convinced listeners and the result will be in the form of 

 individuals doing the thing advocated on their own farms. 

 If the plan proposed calls for the organization of the group 

 as, for example, in a local fruit packing house for the 

 grading, packing and branding of fruit, then the immediate 

 result will be measured by the number and quality of the 



