Agricultural Education. 



448 



[November, 1911. 



upon the farm of all home supplies 

 possible. The result is that the money 

 which formerly went for current debts 

 now goes into home improvements, 

 better clothing, better stock, and more 

 schooling. The earlier maturing cotton 

 introduced and made common by our 

 agents allows six weeks more schooling 

 annually for the children. Rural im- 

 provement requires considerable ex- 

 penditure of money, which must be 

 provided by the farmers through an 

 increase in the products of the farm 

 with a decrease in their cost. 



A large number of inquiries were sent 

 out to ascertain the present conditions 

 in the South and the effect of the 

 Farmers' Co-operative Demonstration 

 Work. The reports all show great im- 

 provement in rural conditions. 



Without exception they fully corro- 

 borate the claim made for the Farmers' 

 Co-operative Demonstration Work. Out 

 of the hundreds of replies received, the 

 following from a live worker in Texas is 

 presented as typical in showing the 

 general tenor of the reports made : — 



Giddings, Tex., September 21, 1908. 

 Dear Sir, — Growing out of my efforts 

 and the example and the moral support 

 of the business men, thirty cream 

 separators have beeu bough c by the 

 farmers around here- Over $2,000 has 

 been invested in good milch stock (one 

 1400 bull from another part of the State 

 has been shipped into the country), and 

 about $500 worth of cream per month 

 finds its way to the creameries. People 

 all over the country are planting winter 

 forage crops and besieging me for all 

 kinds of information. Every one of 

 these people is securing some good pigs 

 to dispose of the milk. 



Two business men have volunteered 

 to put in a creamery just as soon as 

 there is cream enough to justify it. 

 They would do it now if I'd Jet them, 

 but it is best to wait a while. Prior to 

 March 1 of this year there was not a 

 separator in this county. 



A majority of our German farmers are 

 very thrifty and have a good garden. All 

 lands in this section are fenced. Possi- 

 bly one-half of 1 per cent, have log 

 pastures of any size. 



Corn is selling on the streets at from 

 40 to 50 cents per bushel, and hay from 

 $5 to $10 per ton, with plenty offering. 

 People tell me that $20 for hay and 75 

 cents for corn have been ruling prices 

 until this year, but the excellent season 

 accounts for this almost if not as much 

 as the improved methods. Regular 



articles on corn and feed crops were 

 supplied the papers during seed time, 

 and hundreds of people are cashing 

 this advice now. Quite a few have 

 added to their team force aud equip- 

 ments, bought additional lands, etc., 

 this year, but prior to 1908 there was not 

 enough work in any one community to 

 tell any decided effects. 



Perhaps there has been more good 

 accomplished for the schools than any 

 other outside item. Through addresses 

 to summer normals and teachers' in- 

 stitutes and through direct contact with 

 schools, a general awakening is notice- 

 able among our county people. Prob- 

 ably not a rural school in the county of 

 Lee but will increase the salary, add to 

 the equipment, or lengthen the school 

 term. This may be attributed to a 

 combination of causes. We come in for 

 our share. One thousand homes in Lee 

 and Washington counties will be in- 

 vaded this winter by bulletins and 

 circulars, for which the teachers are 

 askiug as aids to the teaching of agri- 

 culture, which from now on is made 

 mandatory in Texas. Milam, William- 

 son, Fayette, Burleson, and Bastrop 

 counties will all ask for these bulletins 

 for their pupils in agriculture. 



Two German coach stallions, costing 

 $3,000 each, and one Biltmore Jersey 

 bull, costing $400, have been added to 

 Lee County's list, and two stock com- 

 panies about completed will soon send 

 a buyer to Kentucky or Tennessee for 

 two standard-bred $500 horses. Over 

 $1,500 worth of milch cows have been 

 bought, most of them from beyond the 

 county by farmers establishing dairy 

 herds. Any milch cow having any 

 milking qualities brings a good price 

 here now. 



I had the pleasure of organizing and 

 conducting a school of farmers— men and 

 women— in the art of canning corn and 

 such vegetables as ire difficult to keep- 

 One such class was at Dime Box, in the 

 extreme western part of the county. 

 Much interest was manifested, and it 

 took only four days of my time. 



These are, as briefly as I can state 

 them, the kindred but indirect results 

 we have obtained in this county. The 

 other counties we have worked show 

 signs of improvement, but not so 

 marked. 



I have no further comment. This is 

 a faithful recital of existing facts 

 which speak for themselves. 



Respectfully yours, 

 W. W. Campbell. 



