DEVELOPMENT OF THE FARM DEMONSTRATION AGENCY 



as almost worthless, womout farms, have acquired double or quad- 

 ruple the value given them five years ago, and farmers have quit 

 poking fun at the Demonstration Work." 



During the stress of war, the county agent in many parts 

 of the United States became a propagandist, a campaigner, 

 a maker of drives, — a general publicity man. This v^as not 

 so bad where an agent had been on the job for several years 

 and, therefore, had a foundation upon which to stand. It 

 damaged the efficiency of many new agents, however. It gave 

 them a desire to continue such methods as a steady diet. There 

 are evidences of popular intellectual indigestion when there is 

 so much agricultural speech-making and writing. 



Improved farms with their proper and profitable crop 

 rotations and their beautiful and prosperous live stock make 

 the best editorial sanctums where the agent can launch his 

 editorial and reportorial vnsdom. There are so many vantage 

 points on such farms where he can find platforms and pulpits 

 for his lectures, speeches and sermons. Without the demon- 

 stration farms as object lessons, his talk is mere twaddle and 

 his publicity and propaganda only ''words, words, words." 

 How unfortunate the agent who puts publicity before demon- 

 stration! It might have been unavoidable in war time, but 

 never again. The underlying principle might be stated 

 in a paraphrase something like this: "Seek ye first the 

 demonstration and its lesson and all these other things shall 

 be added unto you." This fundamental principle will apply 

 to all general promotion and organization work which the 

 agent may undertake to encourage and foster. The man who 

 begins his duties as county agent by undertaking to instruct 

 all the farming people in his county by public speeches, and 

 by articles in the county papers, has reversed the logical order 

 and can not get the best results. The enthusiast, who is car- 



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