November, 1911.] 



447 



A gricultural Education. 



as they saw the demonstration work 

 they commenced to improve. Eleven 

 farmers in one section put hot-water 

 heating and sanitary closets into then 

 houses the past season. 



Mr. W. F. Proctor, of Tyler, Tex., in 

 charge of the demonstration work in 

 eastern Texas, said that his territory 

 includes about sixty counties — all in- 

 fested with the boll weevil. The soil is 

 mainly a sandy loam, well drained and 

 well wooded, makiug an ideal section 

 for the hibernation of the weevil. The 

 weevil has caused such loss of cotton in 

 Harrison County, Tex., that the crop in 

 1906 was less than one-fourth the normal 

 quantity. Cotton being the principal 

 cash crop, general depression followed ; 

 some farms were abandoned and a 

 general abandonment by tenants was 

 threatened. An appeal was made to 

 establish the Farmers' Co-operative 

 Demonstration Work in Harrison 

 County in an intensive way. The people 

 were asked to raise money for improved 

 seed. They raised $1,000, and later in- 

 creased the amount to $1,700. An agent 

 was sent to the county, and 300 demon- 

 stration farms were established. Last 

 year, though exceedingly unfavourable 

 for cotton, the increased yield over 1906 

 was 3,500 bales, and this year under the 

 general adoption of the system the 

 increase is over 16,000 bales, or a gain of 

 $748,000 in value, including seed, for the 

 year in one county. 



At Sulphur Springs, Hopkins County, 

 there has been a similar experience this 

 season. The county agent, Mr. W. L. 

 Bryson, located demonstration farms 

 along the main highways leading to 

 Sulphur Springs for 4 or 5 miles out, so 

 that every farmer entering the city 

 could not fail to observe them. Promi- 

 nent citizens estimated the value of his 

 work this year at $250,000 for the county. 

 This better financial condition resulted 

 in many improvements in homes and 

 schools. 



All present agreed in stating that the 

 Farmers' Co-operative Demonstration 

 Work was readily accepted by the farm- 

 ers and aroused among them intense 

 interest in agriculture, especially where 

 field schools were held and the plan of 

 the boys' corn and cotton clubs was 

 carried out. 



The agents emphasize the great gains 

 in crops under the system of farming 

 taught in the demonstration work, and 

 state that the immediate effect of these 

 increased earnings is to better the con- 

 ditions of the farm and of rural life 

 generally, particular stress being laid 

 upon the following : — 



(1) Better seed and some plan for 

 rotation of crops. 



(2) Better teams and implements. 



(3) Reduction of debts, 



(4) Ownership of land. 



(5) Improvement of home — more com- 

 fortable and neater clothing; more 

 fruit ; farm canning outfits in many 

 cases, etc, 



(6) More months of schooling. 



(7) General co-operation in improve- 

 ment of farm stock, etc. 



Instances were cited where a single 

 demonstration showed the farmers in 

 the Yazoo Delta how they would in- 

 crease their yield of corn from 14 to 70 

 bushels an acre without additional 

 expense, and where a single small farmer 

 saved $500 last year in commercial 

 fertilizers from information derived 

 from an agent in the demonstration 

 work. 



Many farmers are now working cotton 

 without the use of the hoe or plough. 

 Mr. Bamberg brought out this fact 

 clearly and showed its great economic 

 importance. 



Mr. Savely called attention to the 

 fact of field schools, stating that they 

 were very influential in promoting home 

 improvements, and that such schools 

 were occasionally held on farms of 

 coloured men as well as white. 



Mr. R. S. Wilson gave an illustration 

 of the rapidity with which practical 

 information along agricultural lines 

 spreads through a district. As the result 

 of ten months' work in Congressman 

 Hobsou's district, a majority of the 

 farmers were tilling their lands better ; 

 they were raising more corn and forage 

 crops, and many had adopted the Depart- 

 ment plan of seed selection. 



Mr. J. L. Quicksall spoke of the great 

 improvement in agriculture and the 

 betterment of rural conditions in Central 

 Texas since the demonstration work 

 commenced. 



Dr. S.. A. Knapp stated that the 

 southern people were awake. In a 

 number of States the patriotic women 

 are forming rural improvement clubs 

 for the betterment of home conditions. 

 In North Carolina they put a model 

 kitchen on a car and sent it about the 

 State. Congressmen are interested and 

 are calling for agricultural speakers. It 

 has been the general custom of southern 

 farmers, whether in cotton, sugar, rice, 

 or tobacco districts, to depend on one 

 cash crop and buy their supplies of food 

 and clothing with the proceeds. This is 

 rapidly becoming a thing of the past. 

 All of our agents urge the production 



