480 AGRICULTURE 



upon the man's own farm not only how to exterminate the 

 boll weevil, but how to grow an earlier variety of cotton and, 

 if possible, a weevil-resistant strain. From this beginning 

 there has been a very rapid growth of this type of exten- 

 sion work, until at the present time county agricultural 

 agents are employed in every state in the Union. 



The county workers. Men employed as county agri- 

 cultural agents are required to be possessed of scientific 

 information and successful experience on the problems of 

 agriculture. They are expected also to have had practical 

 experience in the general management of a farm. Plans 

 have already been made by which the county agent is 

 assisted by a woman agent who must be thoroughly trained 

 and fitted to advise and direct the girls and women in all 

 matters relating to the making of better homes. Several hun- 

 dred women agents are now at work in as many counties. 



Organization of the county work. The county agents 

 live in the county and are supplied with an office where 

 they may be consulted. They usually are furnished with 

 some means of transportation so that they may travel about 

 the county, from farm to farm and from home to home. 

 In this way the county agents carry to the very door of the 

 farm home and the public school the services of specialists. 

 They are able to bring to those who can not go to college 

 the help, advice and leadership of the best scientific inves- 

 tigators, and really make the farms a part of the campus, 

 class rooms and laboratories of the agricultural college and 

 demonstration centers of the United States Department of 

 Agriculture. 



Character of help rendered. The work of the county 

 agents is calculated to increase the profits of farming, and 

 the comforts and efficiency of the farm home ; to aid in con- 

 serving and building up the soil ; and to encourage the ad- 

 vancement of community education and social interests. 



