384 RURAL SOCIOLOGY 



"Beginning in the states of South Carolina, Virginia and Mis- 

 sissippi, there were developed that year a number of Girls' Can- 

 ning Cubs. This work increased rapidly. 



In the broad development of the work as a whole the county 

 agents, both men and women, naturally divide their activities 

 into three general classes: 



First: Their actual demonstrations with farmers, their wives, 

 and the boys and girls. 



Second: The giving out of general information through 

 speeches, meetings, etc. 



Third: Efforts to stimulate organization. 



In the South organization work has proceeded mainly on a 

 community basis. Community interest and activity have been 

 often stimulated by the demonstrations, and the collecting of 

 people together at the demonstrations has furnished a ready 

 means of natural organization of communities. In many com- 

 munities there were already organizations such as the Farmers' 

 Union. These are assisted by the county agents. As a rule the 

 community organization has some definite object in view such 

 as the improvement of agricultural practices, standardization of 

 production, maintenance of pure varieties of seed and standard- 

 izing the production of various kinds of livestock. Very often, 

 also, they have engaged in the cooperative purchase of supplies, 

 mainly fertilizers, and in some cooperative marketing. 



In the northern states there has grown up a type of organiza- 

 tion known as the County Farm Bureau, which is mainly an or- 

 ganization of individual farmers who interest themselves in se- 

 curing a county agent and assisting in the general work in the 

 county. These organizations have proved quite effective in han- 

 dling a large amount of business and creating greater interest in 

 agriculture. 



In many counties in the South the type of organization for 

 the whole county consists in the confederation of representatives 

 from the community organizations to form a county association 

 for the general improvement of agriculture in the whole county. 

 It is not possible in this short article to discuss the merits of the 

 two types of organization. Each type has many points of merit 

 and each seems to be meeting the present needs of the people. 



