assisting in organization and lecture work. There is a bill before the Illinois State Legislature authorizing county boards to levy tax or appropriate money for county agent work. Illinois has seven county agents. Smith-Lever Law. The Smith-Lever Bill which provides for a farreaching system of cooperation with state agricultural dolleges, whereby the vast stores of scientific knowledge gathered by the government experts will be carried direct to the farmers of the country, became a law May 8-1914. It is calculated that through the practical enlightenment by means of demonstrations and bulletins, it will be possible to double the productiveness of American farms. Section 3 of this law reads as follows; -"That for the purpose of paying the expenses of said cooperative extension work and the necessary printing and distribution of information in connection with the same, there is permanently appropriated out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of $480,000 for each year, $10,000 of which shall be paid annually in the manner hereinafter provided, to each State which shall by action of its legislature assent to the provisions of this act: Provid an additional ed further, That there is also appropriated $600,000 for the fiscal year following that in which the fore going appropriation first becomes available, and for each year provided further, that such money shall be disbursed by the county treasurer only upon orders of the county clark which shall have been approved by the county agricultural representative." State aid is given to the extent of one thousand dollars annually to each county having an agricultural representative. This state aid is expended under tha direction of the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin. "For the calendar year 1914, this work shall be organized in not to exceed ten counties of the state and for the calendar year 1915 in not to exceed sixteen counties of the state." After a county has voted to have an agricultural representative, and has provided for the county's share of the expense, the county clerk makes application for a man to the Dean of the Agricultural College. If a county training school is located in the county then it shall be the duty of the agricultural representative to give agricultural instruction in the county training school, which instruction is subject to such rules and regulations as may be mutually agreed upon between the county training school board and the regents of the university. If their is no county training school in the county employing an agricultural representative, then the representative is to cooperate with the county superintendent of schools to further the agricultural interests of the county. The state appropriated $10,000 for 1914 and $16,000 for 1915 as partial maintenance for agricultural development in counties of the state-ten counties in 1914 and sixteen counties in 1915. By comparing the duties of the County Representative in Wisconsin with the duties of the representatives in Canada it can be plainly seen that Wisconsin took advantage of Canada's mistakes in planning the work. At present Wisconsin has eight agricultural representatives working in as many different counties in the state. The following is a brief summary of the activities of the representatives which deal with; Agricultural instruction in the county training school. A ten-week short course in agriculture for boys. A farmers' course for the farmers of the county. The growth of legumes, -especially alfalfa. Crop rotation Introduction of improved live stock. Introduction of pure bred seeds. Forage crops. Construction of silos. Organizing farmers' clubs. Organizing cow-testing associations. Weeding out unprofitable cows. Organizing live stock associations. Organizing grain associations. Eradicating of weeds. Clearing cut-over lands. Giving lectures through the county. Horticultural work. |