DRY-FARMING CONGRESS, WICHITA, 1914 



31 



the substantial increase in attendance at the Agricultural College and in 

 the schools of agriculture, of which there are three. There is an increased 

 interest in agricultural education also in rural localities as indicated by 

 the number of institutions which are giving instruction in agriculture in 

 their courses. One hundred thirty-eight of the high schools of Minnesota 

 are now giving courses in agriculture and home economics. The instruc- 

 tion in all of these schools is given by a properly trained and qualified 

 agriculturist, one who has received his own training in some of the 

 agricultural colleges of the United States. As a consequence of this train- 

 ing and education, instruction in the agricultural branches is much more 

 favorably received by the farmers and they are inclined to accept assist- 

 ance from the high school instructors in agriculture who give considerable 

 time to extension work in the localities. 



In addition to the regular instruction in the institutions organized for 

 educational purposes, farmers of Minnesota are demanding and receiving 

 education on the farms. The extension work of the College of Agricul- 

 ture and Experiment Station reaches all parts of the state. In addition 

 to the assistance given from the central institution, twenty-seven out of 

 the eighty-two counties have organized for the support of county agents. 

 These county agents live at central locations and give their entire time 

 to the attempt to build up agriculture and rural life in the county. They 

 deal with the farmers on their own farms, assisting them in the organ- 

 ization of their farms for efficient production and give assistance in busi- 

 ness matters generally. The aim is to increase the business efficiency of 

 the farmer and to make him a more skilful farm manager. Supple- 

 menting the county agent work, twenty-eight demonstration farms are 

 supervised. On these farms the farmer receives his instructions and plans 

 for work from the demonstration farm supervisor in an effort to improve 

 the business methods of the farm. The farmer pays his own bills, hires or 

 performs his own labor, and meets all the expense of operation. No charge 

 is made for the supervision nor is the farmer subsidized in any way. 



Through greater agricultural production and better knowledge of the 

 problems of the farm, and through better organization of the farm busi- 

 ness, great gains have been made in Minnesota the past year. These gains, 

 however, we expect to make only the foundation for still greater agricul- 

 tural prosperity in future years. We still have much land to develop. We 

 have many improvements to make in methods of farming and much higher 

 standards of living to reach. 



We believe, however, that Minnesota offers some of the richest op- 

 portunities for correct living upon the farms, and invite you to inspect and 

 corroborate these statements for yourselves. 



DEAN JARDINE: 



Is Dean F. B. Mumford here to make a report for Missouri? If not, 

 in the absence of F. B. Linfield, Professor Atkinson, agronomist with the 

 Montana Experiment Station, will make the report for Montana. 



