THE DEMONSTRATION WORK 



among the settlers, to look after their spiritual welfare. His place 

 to-day is taken by a missionary of another type, the Government 

 Farm Demonstration Agent, who often similarly mounted, calls 

 from farm to farm and whose mission ultimately results in spiritual 

 betterment through improvement of material conditions. Instead of 

 the bible, the modern messenger of the gospel of better farming 

 carries government bulletins and a little record book, in which he 

 enters the names of those who desire to turn over a new leaf and 

 lead a better agricultural life." 



"To get a grasp of the field agent's work I selected to visit Yell 

 County, in the Ozark foothills of western Arkansas. There were to 

 be found a variety of conditions; namely, the old worn-out cotton 

 farm of the bottoms ; the big plantations worked by renters, and the 

 small hill farms with gravelly soils that demand intelligent effort to 

 make them productive. Here is a county typical of the transforma- 

 tion that is going on all over the South from ancient one-man-one- 

 horse farming to modern methods. Here is a county demonstration 

 agent still working against odds and prejudice, but who had won 

 the confidence of farmers and the appreciation of business men. He 

 is P. K. Egan. His service with the Government began in 1907, 

 with several counties under his jurisdiction. As the work grew his 

 territory was cut down until now it is confined to one county, which 

 alone gives him a man's job. He has fifty demonstrators working 

 with him — that is, farmers who are growing crops under his super- 

 vision — and over 700 cooperators on his list; that is, farmers fol- 

 lowing Government instructions issued in bulletin form and sent 

 them by mail. He also has Boys' Com and Cotton Clubs with a 

 total of forty-three members to look after. He makes the rounds of 

 his fifty demonstration farmers about once in six weeks, occasionally 

 calling on a cooperator as time allows or opportunity occurs. One- 

 sixth of his time is devoted to the Boys' Work. This keeps him busy 

 the year round, for after crops are matured he begins on his deep 

 fall plowing and seed selection lessons. If a farmer, after enrolling 

 as a demonstrator, shows no interest and makes no effort to follow 

 instructions, his name is dropped from the list and another is sub- 

 stituted. There are always others eager to get help, for the work has 

 proved its value by increasing the prosperity of the demonstrators 

 and bringing up the price of their land. What once were classed 



