' 
EFFECTIVENESS OF EXTENSION IN BEACHING BUBAL PEOPLE 19 
Table 21. — Relationship of subject-matter specialists to changed farm and 
prac: 
tageofallfian - 
atage of farms] a of new practices : I 
Percer. - influence of specialists 24 
:ence of specialists 
ATTITUDE TOWARD EXTENSION 
In the case of the 3.405 farms in New York. Colorado, and Cali- 
fornia, from which records were obtained, information was reported 
regarding the attitude of the farming people toward extension work. 
Sixty-six per cent (2 farms out of 3 were reported as being favorable 
to extension activities. Table 22. Twenty-four per cent, or 1 
out of 4. were recorded as indifferent to the work. Active opposition 
was noted in 4 per cent of the cases, or on the part of only 1 farm in 
25. No attitude was reported for the remaining 6 per cent of the 
farms. 
Xow that extension has become established, it is gratifying to note 
that it has the approval of such a large percentage of the farming 
people. The opposition to the work, although it may be vociferous 
at times, is apparently not widespread among the actual tillers of 
the soil. The indifferent group presents an extension problem of 
considerable importance. 
Table 22. — Attitude toward extension as indicated by opinions expressed by 
farmers : 
Group ^rSs^ Percentage 
1 
Farm records obtained 3, 405 100 
•::-d favorable . .- 66 
Reported indifferent 812 24 
-iopposed 151 4 
tude reported 196 6 
1 For three States only, as this information was not obtained in Iowa. 
SUMMARY 
The study includes 3,954 farms or 94 per cent of all the farms located 
in typical areas of seven counties of four States concerning which 
information was obtained by representatives of the Federal and 
State extension services. 
On 74 per cent of the farms, or in the case of practically three farms 
out of four, extension effort had brought about the adoption of one 
or more improved practices. 
A total of 9.S33 different practices were adopted, or an average of 
3.4 practices per farm reached. 
Propaganda methods were reported as having influenced the adop- 
tion ot improved practices on 68 per cent of the farms, object-lesson 
methods on 5S per cent, and personal-service methods on 27 per 
cent. Forty-nine per cent of the farms reported indirect infiue: 
Although the adult demonstration and the meeting head th 
extension methods in the percentage of practices influenced with 42 
and 41.4 per cent respectively, the importance of other methods, 
such as news service, bulletins, farm visits, office calls, and the like 
must not be overlooked. The indirect influence of extension was 
reported in connection with 26 per cent of the practices adopted. 
