OTHER EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES 381 



4. Use intensive tillage during the growing period of the crop. 



5. Secure a high content of humus in the soil by the use of 

 legumes, barnyard manure, farm refuse and commercial fer- 

 tilizers. 



6. Carry out a system of crop rotation with a winter cover 

 crop on southern farms. 



7. Accomplish more work in a day by using more horse power 

 and better implements. 



8. Increase the farm stock to the extent of utilizing all the 

 waste products and idle lands on the farm. 



9. Produce all the food required for the men and animals on 

 the farm. 



10. Keep an account of each farm product in order to know 

 from which the gain or loss arises. 



These became very widely known in the South and formed the 

 basis for much of the work done by the agents. 



The demonstrations were extended from crop to crop. With 

 the fundamental idea that it was necessary to readjust the agri- 

 culture of the South and make it more profitable and to make 

 the country life better, Dr. Knapp taught the great lesson of 

 diversification or a self-sustaining agriculture. The preserva- 

 tion of the fertility of the soil and the furnishing of the living 

 of the people on the farm from its products, were two necessary 

 changes if the South was to prosper. With these things taken 

 care of, that great section was well supplied with cash crops 

 which it could produce and exchange in the markets of the world 

 for the money with which to improve her life and her indus- 

 tries. The trouble was that the South was producing these 

 splendid crops of cotton, tobacco, rice and sugar and exchang- 

 ing them for her living. 



One of the problems was to reach as many farmers as possible. 

 The county agent could not possibly carry on a demonstration on 

 every farm in the county. Two plans proved effective. The 

 first was to rely upon the fact that farmers, like other people, 

 would imitate what they saw tried with success. It became very 

 evident that one good demonstration in a neighborhood reached 

 more people than the farmer who carried on the demonstration. 

 A varying number of the neighbors copied the practices and 



