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problems who believe this plan the most effective ever devised, inasmuch as 

 it advances the local interest through its work and financial support. 



The next move was for the various bodies interested to sign an agree- 

 ment covering the objects and policy of the work and the financial share of 

 each necessary to carry it on. To quote from the agreement : 



''The object is to undertake propaganda work in the agricultural 

 district in the vicinity of Binghamton, N. Y.; to make an agricultural 

 survey of the territory; study the farmer's problems, find their solution by 

 a study of the practices of successful farmers; study the relations of types 

 of farming to local conditions of soil, climate, markets, etc. To demon- 

 strate systems of managements used by successful farmers in the district 

 and conduct experiments with the farmers, educational work through the 

 media of institutes, etc., advising with the farmers individually and other- 

 wise as to the best methods, crops, cropping systems, stock, labor, tools 

 and other equipment." 



Shortly after signing of the agreement an agent was appointed to take 

 charge of the work, and took up his duties March 20, 1911. Since that time 

 the work has been going on effectively and quietly. In the three years we 

 have not revolutionized the conditions as found in the beginning, but we 

 have accomplished many things for the betterment of country life in our 

 section, and we are arousing an enthusiasm as to the possibilities of agricul- 

 ture which is bound to make its force felt in the future. We have never 

 had the idea we could turn over the old prejudices or tendencies, or change 

 the lines of thought, operation and management in one year, three years or 

 five, but we have felt by steadily following certain lines of work we would 

 eventually get the impression in the mind of the man whom we wished to 

 reach, of a real enthusiasm for his work and its possibilities for himself, 

 his family and their children. 



We are today beginning to see some of these impressions taking hold. 

 We can see general evidences along certain lines of better management, 

 many evidences of individual co-operation which have been successful. 

 Our merchants in the city, especially those dealing directly with the farmer, 

 have already felt the new force, all showing the effectiveness of the work. 



We have now twenty counties in New York State with Farm Bureau 

 Agents in the field, all under the able direction of Mr. Lloyd S. Tenny, 

 State Leader. These organizations are financed in different ways and until 

 the present the work too has followed different lines, the local conditions 

 sometimes making this necessary; and on the other hand the office of Farm 

 Management and the State Leader have been groping to a certain extent 

 to find the most efficient methods for the farm agent to follow. 



In the beginning our local agent's salary and expenses were paid by 

 the U. S. Government, the Lackawanna Railroad and the Binghamton 

 Chamber of Commerce. These three bodies were the active signers of 

 the original agreement, the New York State Department of Agriculture 

 and the Agricultural College, Ithaca, agreeing to co-operate whenever 



