12 



mains until about October 1. His job is to work out in 

 co-operation with the county agent a plan for advising and 

 directing the spraying operation of such growers as make 

 request for the service. The extension pathologist and exten- 

 sion entomologist of the college supervise and direct his work. 

 A variety of schemes for notifying the growers have been tried 

 out, but the relay telephone system handled through the Farm 

 Bureau office has usually proved the most satisfactory and 

 efficient. With one eye on the weather map and the other on 

 the development of the buds, the field man determines the 

 proper time for the most effective application and promptly 

 notifies each grower a day or two in advance. The grower is 

 also advised of the proper strength and combination of fungi- 

 cides and insecticides to be used. A few criterion orchards, 

 scattered at advantageous localities over the county, are 

 sprayed under the personal supervision of the field assistant, 

 and serve to demonstrate the efficiency of the recommendations 

 sent out to the growers. 



At first the State paid the entire salary of the field assistant 

 and furnished supervision of his work without expense to the 

 county. Last season six counties maintained such field assist- 

 ants, providing one-third the man's salary. This coming season 

 at least 8 counties will have a special field assistant on plant 

 disease and insect control and will pay two-thirds the salary, 

 the college providing but one-third. The growers receiving the 

 service provide the funds for meeting the counties' share of the 

 salary in addition to providing the funds for buying and main- 

 taining the car. Besides general supervision by the extension 

 pathologist and entomologist the college will provide (as it did 

 last season) a special supervisor, who, during the growing 

 season, will give all his time to assisting and overseeing the 

 work of the special field assistant. 



The positions of field assistant have been almost entirely 

 filled by seniors or graduate students specializing in plant 

 pathology and entomology. They are young men of marked 

 ability but usually with little actual practical experience. That 

 they have met their opportunities and responsibilities is evi- 

 denced in the rapidly increasing demand on the part of our 

 growers for their services. The willingness of the growers to 



