16 
BULLETIN" 1384, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
farms or in their own homes. (Table 17.) Practices taught by ex- 
tension agents were accepted by 98 per cent of the farms in this 
group. In the case of 1,773 farms represented at extension activities 
held on neighboring farms or at community centers, 86 per cent re- 
ported changed practices. Of the 1,595 farms where members of 
the operators' family had not attended any extension meeting or 
similar activity, 51 per cent adopted improved practices. The .num- 
ber of improved practices adopted per farm was also much less in 
the last group. Participation in extension activities was apparently 
more important in obtaining the adoption of home practices than of 
agricultural practices, as is indicated by the relatively small per- 
centage of homes not participating in extension activities which re- 
ported changed practices. That more than half of the farms not 
participating in extension activities reported improved practices 
adopted, is indicative of the importance of such extension methods 
as news service, bulletins, and circular letters and the indirect spread 
of influence from the more direct methods. 
Table 17. — Participation in extension activities as bearing on farms changing 
practices 
Group 
Number 
of farms 
Percentage of farms changing 
Fercent- P racticos 
Average 
number 
of 
practices 
changed 
farms Agricul- 
tural 
Home 
economics 
Any 
practice 
Farms having extension activities on farm 
or in home 
586 
15 94 
f>7 
98 5.4 
Other farms participating in extension ac- 
1,773 
1,595 
45 79 37 
86 3. 2 
Fanns not participating in extension ac- 
tivities 
40 4G 
H 
51 
2.3 
CONTACT WITH EXTENSION AGENTS 
More than two- thirds of the farms reported having been in touch 
with one or more members of the extension service staff. Of this 
number 89 per cent reported the adoption of better practices as com- 
pared with 39 per cent of the farms not enjoying such contact. 
(Table 18.) The former group also adopted nearly twice as many 
practices per farm as the latter group. There is naturally a very 
close relationship between participation in extension activities and 
contact with extension workers, since a large proportion of the con- 
tacts are made in connection with attendance at demonstrations and 
meetings of various kinds. Participation in extension activities, 
however, would seem to be more productive from the standpoint of 
changed practices than mere contact with extension workers. 
Table 18. — Contact xoith extension workers as related to farms changing practices 
Group 
In touch with extension workers 
Not in touch with extension workers. 
Number 
Pcrcent- 
°" arms Tar!" 11 
2,732 
1,222 
31 
Percentage of farms changing A vor , 1fTA 
practices Average 
of 
practices 
changed 
Agricul- 
tural 
35 
Home Any 
economics practice 
43 
39 
