The Daily Banner

A Broad Program Of
The following program of the agricultural work has been submitted to the Executive Committee of the Maryland Council of Defense by A. F. Woods, chairman of the Agricultural Committee, who is associated with Dr. Woods in the work.
The Executive Committee has made an appropriation of $8,500, covering the requests of Dr. Woods and his committee as made in the statement.
The general food productive situation in the State is good. The farmers are very calm and determined to do their best under all conditions. There has been an increase in land devoted to crops on the whole, and live stock is being increased gradually, particularly hogs and sheep.
On the whole the labor situation in the counties is better this year than last. Not that there are more farm laborers available, but on account of the more thorough appreciation by the farmers and business men that it is largely a community problem, and must largely be solved by community effort. The more general use of farm machinery is greatly aiding the situation. In no case have we received reports that crops will be sacrificed on account of lack of labor for harvesting.
The farmers, as a whole, are greatly interested at present in the possibilities of the Boys' Working Reserve. It is believed that this offers a virgin field for assistance and every effort should be made to prevent disappointments to the farmers and to satisfy the young men.
The U. S. Employment Service is rendering all possible service, and it is hoped that the public service reserve will be able to register a large number of volunteers that will aid during the harvest seasons, if necessary.
The ability of the business men and farmers to get together on the labor problem has been demonstrated, particularly in Washington county, where a local committee has registered about 200 men from the factories in Hagerstown to serve on the farms when required.
The County Agents have been pushing organization work in the counties on a community basis. In every case they are co-operating with the County Defense Councils and other forces that would aid in organizing a community. This work is being conducted as rapidly as conditions will permit. In many cases the Agent can interest the community in some one subject and use that as a means of getting them together for other matters.
The nine public tractors owned by the Council of Defense are being operated in the following counties: Kent, Cecil, Harford, Baltimore, St. Mary's and Frederick. Great difficulty is experienced by the agents in securing competent operators. It is hard to conduct machines on this basis at a profit. The agents are doing their best to keep the machines at work. In all cases there are greater demands than the tractors can fill. The greatest service that the public tractors have rendered is the demonstration to farmers that tractors can be used on a farm and that the machines can do good work.
There will be, no doubt, a much greater demand this summer and fall in plowing for wheat. The farmers generally are purchasing tractors for their own use.
Through the funds furnished the agents on travel accounts, splendid results were secured in the campaign inaugurated to induce and demonstrate to farmers the importance of testing seed corn. In many instances the seed tested did not give 50 per cent. germination. This campaign will mean much in saving labor and increased yield of corn in the State this year.
In co-operation with the Food Administration the County Agents are investigating the conditions of the threshing machines in the counties. The Council of Defense appointed a member of the local committee having this matter in charge in each county. The results of this work is very encouraging. A special statement is submitted in connection with this project.
Provision was made by the Council of Defense last fall for the treatment of much wheat for smut. Special experts, from the Department of Agriculture, will shortly make a survey of the State to observe the amount of injury from this disease with a view of providing for extending the work of treating seed wheat this fall, if necessary.
Special work is in progress in the tomato organizations in conducting demonstrations in spraying for the control of blight. Limited State Emergency funds are being used in pushing this work, which means so much to tomato growers.
Demonstration spraying for the control of blight on potatoes in Garrett county is arranged for. A large number of farmers have agreed to spray their fields for the control of the disease. This work will be conducted through the summer.
An Economic Survey of the farms of the State was taken in co-operation with the public schools. This survey was especially requested by the Department of Agriculture. Reports have been submitted from 13,000 farms. A full summary has been prepared and sent to Washington.
The funds furnished by the Council of Defense have greatly aided the agents in travel expenses and clerical help. During the months of May and June we have been enabled to save the travel expense in the amount of about $2,000 on account of emergency fund balance available for them the Department of Agriculture.
The following approximate expenses will be required during the next three months for the prosecution of the work:
Travel and miscellaneous expenses, agents, $3,500.
Stenographic and clerical help, $3,000.
Insect control work, $500.
Plant disease control, $500.
Miscellaneous tractor expenses, $200.
Threshing machine work, $500.
Miscellaneous work, $300.
Total, $8,500.
Respectfully submitted,
THOMAS B. SYMONS,
Director.