444 



JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 



[Vol. 8 



which only further indicates that the pubhc is in need of rehable in- 

 formation. Of all of these agencies it may be said that they are largely 

 lacking in the element of vital contact with the farmer's real needs. 



Our knowledge of insects and of means of control have gone far in 

 advance of the farmer, and entomologists, in particular, are in need of 

 such a means as has been provided for disseminating knowledge of 

 insect control and demonstrating its value. We may or we may not 

 approve entirely of the details of the method that is being so rapidly 

 established but it has come to stay, apparently, and we may as well 

 face the fact and prepare to meet the conditions. 



The Smith-Lever Act specifies that its benefits shall be applied 

 through the college or colleges now receiving the benefits of the first 

 and second Morrill acts, that is, the agricultural colleges, which in 

 some states are separate institutions and in some are maintained as 

 colleges in the state universities. The problems incident to the new 

 work, therefore, come to college rather than to experiment station 

 officers. The act is broad in its provisions with respect to how the 

 funds shall be made effective. Nobody knows what the completed 

 organization shall be or how the many questions that are arising are to 

 be met. Already, however, the states have in large measure com- 

 mitted themselves to the emplojmient of resident advisers in the coun- 

 ties. These have received various names, including farm demonstra- 

 tors, county agriculturists and county agents. For the purposes 

 of the remainder of this paper they are called '^county agents" or 

 agents." 



The college departments' relationship to the county agent needs to 

 be carefully defined. In the nature of the case the men to fill these 

 county positions must be general in their training and experience. 

 They cannot be specialists, though it is entirely possible that as the 

 system develops special agents or specialist agents may be employed 

 to meet local requirements. These, however, will be few in number, 

 at least for many years. 



Yet these generally trained men will be the ones to whom in large 

 measure the requests for information regarding the identity, life-his- 

 tories and control of insect pests will come. They are the ones who 

 will be in contact with the people. In this respect, the system is weak 

 but under the circumstances it is the best that can be provided and 

 with proper cooperation good results may be secured. The county 

 agent will need the help and backing of his college and a clear under- 

 standing of what is expected of him, for he has Uttle precedent for his 

 guidance and since he is the mouth-piece of many college departments 

 and is expected to teach truly their doctrines, he has, in a sense, manj^ 

 masters. 



