32 



ural college was organized in 1909 to carry to the farmers of 

 this state the principles of practical and profitable orchard 

 management as determined by our most successful growers 

 and as indicated by the results of experimental work carried 

 on by the various experiment stations. The work has grown 

 rapidly. From a very modest beginning in which the work 

 was handled by Professor Sears in addition to his regular 

 duties at the college, it has developed to the point where 

 it takes the entire time of one man and occupies the atten- 

 tion from time to time of every man on the pomological 

 staff of both station and college. 



Since the organization of the county farm bureaus, 

 most of the work with individual farmers, including such 

 work as visits to orchards and personal talks with their 

 owners, has been taken over by the county men. In every 

 case the work is done, where possible through the county 

 agent or in closest cooperation with him. He is the exten- 

 sion man in the county. 



It was evident from the very start that little impression 

 could be made upon the state as a whole by going from place 

 to place with general talks on the various phases of orchard 

 management. So the work has developed along scvcrnl 

 clear cut lines and our aim is to make the work in a com- 

 munity as permanent as possible. In the few minutes that 

 are left I shall endeavor to explain, briefly, several of the 

 most important branches of our extension work. 



The first of these, and probably the most important 

 from the standpoint of results, is the establishment and 

 care of demonstration orchards under our direct super- 

 vision, and others will be planted as we get time and funds 

 to extend the work. The first demonstration orchards 

 w'ere planted in 1910 and their value in pointing out the 

 most successful systems of management is rapidly increas- 

 ing as the orchards become older and better "Known. By 

 keeping in close touch with the college, the owner in a few 

 years becomes thoroughly familiar with methods of pruning, 

 spraying, cultivation etc., and is looked upon as an authority 



