388 RURAL SOCIOLOGY 



year 1922 there will be an annual appropriation from the federal 

 treasury amounting to $4,580,000, and annual contributions from 

 within the states amounting to $4,100,000 for the support of the 

 work, or a grand total of $8,680,000. This will be the annual 

 expenditure in this new and important system of agricultural 

 education. 



It should be remembered that the law itself makes this a co- 

 operative work. The enormous annual economic loss in , the 

 United States by reason of soil depletion, insect ravages, dis- 

 eases of crops and animals, improper cultural methods, and lack 

 of proper marketing systems has been increasing from year to 

 year. The nation, the states, the colleges and many public and 

 private organizations have been attempting to correct these 

 evils, each in its own way and with its own machinery and inde- 

 pendent of the others. The resulting effort could not be other- 

 wise than wasteful, more or less inefficient and often misdi- 

 rected. Wrong principles were often advocated or correct ones 

 improperly presented. Expensive effort was duplicated many 

 times. Rivalries and competition were more common than har- 

 mony and cooperation. The result of it all was doubt, con- 

 fusion and lack of confidence on the part of most of the people 

 in agricultural work. The new act provides for unity and co- 

 operation. The field force represents both the United States De- 

 partment of Agriculture and the state colleges of agriculture. 



Shortly after the passage of the act the Secretary of Agricul- 

 ture put the act into effect by making an agreement with each 

 state which brings all the work into harmony and unity through 

 the one state organization representing both the state and the 

 nation. Within the department he established the States Rela- 

 tions Service, the two divisions of which, under the director, 

 handle the relations with the states under this act and also ad- 

 minister all extension work of the department carried out 

 through the state extension divisions. 



Under the present plans there will eventually be a county agri- 

 cultural agent in every county and also a county woman agent, 

 each supported in their work by a trained force of specialists and 

 a competent administrative staff. 



So we have the new system of instruction with its full force of 

 instructors and its plans being worked out. A great public 



