THE DEMONSTRATION WORK 



substituted as rapidly as the better way is discovered. If 

 progress could not be made in an untried field any other way, 

 then it is largely a matter of avoiding the same mistakes 

 another time. 



It is getting to be generally recognized that the county 

 agent is the keystone of the arch of agricultural extension. 

 One mathematical definition says extension has three dimen- 

 sions: length, breadth and thickness. Under the old method 

 of instruction it had only one, viz., length. It extended from 

 the college to the farmer. Under the new plan, the demonstra- 

 tion by the farmer is the center of influence. Here is the 

 point where the pebble is dropped into the lake and from 

 which the waves go out in every direction. Of course the 

 College of Agriculture and the Department combine in their 

 efforts through the agent. They also unite in contributing 

 their information and knowledge. He often represents the 

 authority of the county commissioners, the county board or 

 the county court. Likewise he has the co-operation of the 

 bankers and other business men. These interests focus in him 

 as he starts his program of extension on a hundred different 

 farms. Sir Horace Plunkett, who did so much for Ireland, 

 once urged Dr. Seaman A. Knapp to organize the farmers 

 into their own associations, leagues, or societies, rather than 

 try to develop sentiment and enlist the business and profes- 

 sional men to aid the farmers in promoting a better agri- 

 culture. The reply was that the word *' Co-operative" in 

 Farmers' Co-operative Demonstration Work, must include 

 all classes if we expect to build a great civilization with agri- 

 culture as its main foundation. He had definite plans, with 

 the agent as a nucleus, to reform the agriculture and revolu- 

 tionize the conditions of his country. 



Thus it appears that Dr. Knapp was wise when he called 



[no] 



