114 THE COUNTY AGENT'S SERVICES 



tion point on one side of a large county. It is not a logical 

 or geographical center. Neither is it a trade and business 

 center. The county is rough and mountainous, has less 

 wealth, fewer state roads and railroads and no trolley 

 lines. The number of calls at the county agent's office in 

 this county was 1,546. The greater part of these office calls 

 come from the community in which the office is located ; but 

 there is no better center in the county. Greater extremes 

 than these may be found in certain mountainous counties 

 where, for example, there are no railroads, no improved 

 highways and very few automobiles. An effort should al- 

 ways be made to locate the county agent 's office at the point 

 of greatest accessibility in the county. This is usually the 

 county seat, because the problem of central location is also 

 met with in other phases of county activities. 



A good location of the office in the town is also essential. 

 The office should preferably be on the ground floor and in 

 or near the principal trading center. It should be so sit- 

 uated that it is not difficult to find and to use it. Some 

 county agents actually prevent farmers from making use 

 of their offices because of their failure to advertise or to 

 make it convenient to use them. On the other hand, an 

 office may be too convenient so that it becomes a mere loung- 

 ing place and checking room, thus tending to preclude the 

 carrying on of important business there. 



The office should be prominently labeled. In some cases 

 it may be desirable to advertise it in local papers or to 

 put up directions in such places as garages, livery stables 

 and stores telling how to get to it. An upstairs room on 

 the second or third floor is very undesirable except in 

 large city centers where elevators are available. The best 

 location as a rule is a ground-floor room on a side street 

 near that part of the city where farmers do most of their 

 trading. An office with a chamber of commerce and with 



